Top Epilators - What Works the Best

Getting rid of unwanted hair depends on individual preference, pain threshold and budget. Some men and women find that epilators work best, despite the pain of having multiple hairs pulled out at the same time. Top epilators with skin guards and adjustable speeds may be your best choice.

Epilators look similar to electric razors but they work and feel completely different. Instead of shearing the hair at the surface of the skin, epilators yank out the entire hair including the root. If you're epilating for the first time, be warned that it's going to hurt.

Hair epilation is a good way to get smooth, silky skin but it's going to take a number of attempts to get used to this self-inflected torture. There's no technique to lessen the pain so the trick is to become more tolerant to the pain and that only comes with lots of experience.

The more you use your epilator, the more you get used to it. Before starting, consider some epilating tips to make this hair removal technique more effective. Some people can endure an epilator for back hair removal, or removing hair from the chest, and even removing hair from the bikini area - but be warned, this is likely to be painful.

Top Epilators

Epilators have rotating disks that grasp the hair and yank them out by their roots. The hair must be at least 1/4" long (approximately) for the disks to grasp the strands. The longer the hair, the more pain will have to be endured, especially on the legs, arm and underarm areas.

Top epilators from Braun, Panasonic, and Emjoi are very popular and claim to keep you hair-free for up to a month. The rate of hair re-growth really depends on the individual and the specific part of the body being treated.

Reviews of these products show that they are reliable and long-lasting, even the wet epilators which are fully submersible.

What to Look For in an Epilator

• Skin Guard - Because these are mechanical devices, it's important to keep the skin from being pinched and clipped within the disks. Look for a unit with skin guards so the disks hover over the surface of the skin and prevent the blades from making direct contact.

• Dry or Wet - All epilators are electric but some cordless units can be used in the bath where the warm water helps to reduce the pain. Dry epilators can not be submersed but do offer more power. However, having more power isn't necessarily good when you're ripping out patches of hair by the root. There are many combination wet/dry epilators available too.

• Noise - These units make a grinding sound as the disks rotate against one another. For some people, it is a bit uncomfortable to hear as the sound gears down as thick hair gets epilated.

• Soft disks - Some devices have soft, plastic disks instead of metal teeth and tend to not last as long. As the plastic wears, they lose their grip, making the hair removal process even longer.

• Optional LED light - An optional light that guides the devices is when bathroom lighting isn't sufficient.

No matter the fit or form, the top epilators do offer effective hair removal for those who are brave enough to endure the pain & discomfort.