In the name of beauty: Research reveals the most painful hair removal methods, according to UK women

Body hair—something we all have, and shouldn’t be ashamed of. Yet for many women across the UK, body hair removal is an important task in their self-care routine. And whilst we often hear the phrase “beauty is pain”, how much pain are we willing to endure for smooth skin? 

At SmoothSkin, we champion comfortable hair reduction methods, but with so many options when it comes to hair removal, it seems some of us are still opting for more painful removal techniques. 

We surveyed 1,000 UK women between 18 and 50 that remove body hair, to ask them the hair removal methods they’ve tried, and how much discomfort they experience when doing them, in an effort to uncover the truth about the most popular hair removal methods.

Sadly, we found that very few UK women are opting for non painful hair removal. But for those looking for an effective, low-pain solution for hair removal, understanding your options is key. 

The most popular hair removal methods—but at what cost?

Our study found that the go-to hair removal method for most women is shaving, with 97% of women having tried it before. 

However, despite its convenience, only half (52%) say that they find shaving completely pain-free! Improper shaving methods can cause irritation, ingrown hairs and razor bumps, which can all contribute to an uncomfortable hair removal experience. 

Over nine in 10 (94%) women have attempted tweezing before, making it the second most common hair removal technique, but just 6% of women say it comes without pain. 

A method that is famous for the pain it can cause, nearly nine in ten (88%) women have tried waxing their body hair. In fact, almost half (47%) of women say they will opt for a bikini wax before a holiday or special occasion. And perhaps unsurprisingly, only 4% report it as a pain-free hair removal method. 

Threading is also widely used by UK women, with two-thirds (66%) having tried it, yet only 4% claim it’s not painful at all. 

The most painful hair removal methods

We asked UK women to rate how painful they found each hair removal method on a scale of 1 to 5, and found that waxing is the most painful hair removal method–scoring 3.70/5 on the pain scale.

Epilating, the process of using a device to mechanically grasp multiple hairs and pull them out from the root simultaneously, was found to be the second most painful hair removal. Scoring 3.59 out of a possible 5. 

We found that threading is considered the third most painful method, with a 3.49 pain ranking. This is followed by sugaring, which is often considered a gentler alternative to waxing. However, sugaring was still found to be painful for most—only 4% of women who have tried it say it’s pain-free, and it has a 3.43 pain ranking. 

Electrolysis—which is a permanent hair removal treatment that uses heat or chemicals to destroy hair follicles—is ranked the fifth most painful hair removal method, according to our pain index ranking at 3.24 out of 5. 

The search for pain-free hair removal

So, what do we find to be more comfortable for hair removal? Is laser hair removal painful too? Well, our study found that overall, light-based hair removal methods are considered less painful than methods such as waxing or sugaring.

Only half of women (51%) have tried laser hair removal, but does laser hair removal hurt?

Our study reveals women in the UK ranked laser hair removal 5th when looking at non painful hair removal.

Coming fourth, ranking 2.79 out of 5, was IPL hair removal. IPL, known as Intense Pulsed Light, is another long-term solution, offering permanent hair reduction in just two weeks.

However, despite its comfort levels and long lasting effects, IPLs are a lesser used hair removal method, as just 43% of women have tried this before. Learn more about how IPL works here, the difference between IPL and laser hair removal, and how you can get a similar experience to laser hair removal at home using IPL technology. 

Among all hair removal methods, hair removal creams appear to offer the most comfort—40% of women who have used them report experiencing no pain. However, this method may be less suited to those with sensitive skin, as it can cause burning or stinging due to the chemicals used. 

Similarly, 19% of those who have tried bleaching find it to be pain-free, although it’s worth noting that bleaching will not remove body hair and give a smooth appearance, instead it will make any hair appear less visible against the skin. 

Find your pain-free hair removal solution

It’s clear that there is a demand for effective, pain-free hair removal solutions. At SmoothSkin, we’re committed to providing technology-driven solutions that offer long-lasting results with minimal discomfort.

As hair removal remains an essential part of many beauty routines, finding a balance between effectiveness and comfort is key. 

If you’re looking for a more comfortable alternative to your traditional methods, SmoothSkin’s IPL hair removal devices are designed to provide salon-quality results at home with minimal discomfort. Explore our full range of IPL devices and start your journey to pain-free, long-lasting hair removal today.