Salon Hair Removal by waxing is still the most common method of hair removal in a salon.

It's painful, but you can get used to it. Your skin can look plucked and irritated for several hours after your hair removal treatment. However, if you don't get to the salon that often there are home hair removal treatments available.

All hair removal by epilation leaves you hair-free for longer than shaving, and regrowth is softer and feels finer because the hair grows back with a tapered end.

Hair must be at least 5mm long to allow the wax to grip it firmly. Regrowth to this length takes three to six weeks. Regular epilation gradually weakens the hair and in time it may stop growing back altogether. But if you only have your legs waxed over summer, you probably won't achieve this effect.

The follicles can be damaged if the hair isn't pulled out straight, so hair may grow back crooked or get trapped under the skin. You shouldn't use any form of epilation on areas which are scarred, sunburnt or infected, or on cuts, varicose veins, moles or warts.

You can buy home waxing kits, but you're likely to get a better hair removal job done in a salon: partly because the operators will probably be more ruthless! Have said that its important to choose the right hair removal professional.

Warm strip waxes have become popular. A strip of cloth is applied to the wax on your skin, then quickly peeled off, taking wax and hairs with it.

Hot waxing may be used in salons for very coarse hair. The wax is allowed to cool and harden, and then peeled off. It's more effective than strip waxing, because the heat opens the pores up more. But it is messier.

With both hair removal methods the wax is heated in its container and applied with a spatula or from a rollette applicator. The wax and the spatula must be thrown out after each customer, as there is a risk of passing on fungal infections and hepatitis.

The PhD (professional hygienic disposal) method dispenses wax from an applicator with disposable heads which are thrown away after each treatment.

A half-leg wax hair removal in a salon costs $25 to $30 or more depending on the salon.