Got unwanted hair? Well, you’re not alone. You want to keep all the hair you can on your head, but that mess of matted hair on your back? Sometimes it can be a bit much. So can shaving. Razors often lead to ingrown hairs and other such issues. And that’s before mentioning the constant upkeep and the sheer time of the endeavor.
Eventually, you’re going to look at depilatory creams. You may as well admit it now. And then it’s best to inform yourself about hair removal cream for men. Not paying attention to the warnings could lead to serious skin complications. And, we’re not making that up.
You may be wondering:
How do hair removal creams work? Typically, you’ll find a primary or perhaps a small combination of active ingredients in the best hair removal creams for men (or women). The biggie is Potassium Thioglycolate. It doesn’t matter if you can pronounce it, we promise it’s effective.
The mechanism of this compound is far more important. A hair removal cream dissolves the disulphide bonds between keratin proteins in the hair shaft. It will keep the follicle intact which means your hair will grow back (there is no completely permanent hair removal cream).
Essentially, the key ingredients there transform the proteins in your hair into jelly. Then, you wipe them away and rinse the entire area as quickly and thoroughly as you can.
Sounds good, right? Well, there’s something else you should know about even the best hair removal for men products. Your skin and hair are made of the same amino acids and proteins. Leave the hair removal cream on too long and your skin will turn to jelly as well. Yes, that’s called a chemical burn.
Anyone is susceptible to nasty side effects from such creams. Sorry. That’s why this list is so tiny. We spent over 30 hours looking for the creams that are least likely to create problems for their users. And even those on the list should be patch tested before being used on a large area of your body.
Let me explain:
If hair removal creams were inherently unsafe, you wouldn’t be able to find them so readily. As long as they’re used properly, you can expect the results you’re after, not a trip to the emergency room. But, we’re going to qualify that. In addition to reading the instructions completely and following them to the letter of the law, you need to do a patch test. We know you don’t want to do this, but you really must. Some skin types experience adverse reactions even when following instructions.
In this case, a patch test involves applying a small amount of cream to a small corner of your skin. Avoid areas that are overly sensitive and preferably somewhere you can reach or rinse quickly. Work the cream on as directed, then follow protocol to remove it. Wait a full 24 hours before determining that you haven’t had a reaction.
Of course, be ready to rinse and wash skin thoroughly if you sense pain, burning, or obvious signs of a reaction. Remember… chemical burns. As a side note, and perhaps it should go without saying, but you don’t want to leave hair removal creams on your skin any longer than needed or directed.
What’s the bottom line?
When a grooming product requires such specificity, it’s important to look at any and every aspect of it before making a decision. And in order to make your life easier, we at Faveable did this for you. We spent hours upon hours researching products and reading reviews to find the top hair removal products available.
And now, it’s time to see how you can get rid of that unwanted hair!
Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.
