So if you’d like to learn more about epilators, read on.

We’re going to discuss what they are, how to use them, and tips and tricks for getting the best – and least painful – results.

But if you’d just like to buy an epilator, check out our five recommendations in the matrix at the top of the page. All are excellent products that do a fine job.

Now, get ready for your smoothest skin ever.

First introduced in the late 1980s, epilators are electrical devices that remove body hair by pulling it out at the roots. If that sounds painful, it admittedly is at first, although most users find that the pain diminishes over time.

Three basic types of epilators have graced store shelves since their inception: rotating spring epilators, rotating disk epilators, and tweezer-style epilators.

In the next phase of epilator development came the rotating disk epilator. These devices replaced the spring with spinning metal disks that caught and pulled out unwanted hairs.

The first type of epilator released to the market, and also the most painful to use, was the rotating spring epilator.

These beauty tools used a rapidly flexing spring to catch and yank out hairs.

It was common for the spring to break, so replacement springs could be purchased separately.

Most epilators sold today are tweezer-style epilators. They have rotating disks with small gaps that act like tweezers.

As the epilator moves across the skin, the tiny “tweezers” catch, pull, and discard hairs as short as 0.5 mm.

As already stated, there are plenty of ways to remove hair from your legs, face, underarms, and anywhere else with unwanted fuzz. So why subject yourself to an epilator?

There are plenty of reasons, actually, including the following:

• After shelling out the initial money for your epilator, there are no further expenses. Compare that to frequent purchases of razors and shaving cream, expensive trips to the salon for waxing services, or the cost of depilatory creams.

• The more you use your epilator, the less your hair regrows.

• Your skin will remain smooth and hair-free far longer than with shaving or depilatories. Typically, you’ll have at least two weeks until regrowth becomes noticeable, but you may have as many as four weeks.

• Epilators are gentler on sensitive skin than wax, which removes not only hair but also the top layer of skin.

• Ingrown hairs are less of an issue with epilation than they are with shaving, although they can certainly still occur.

• Epilators eliminate your chance of sustaining razor rash and itchy, razor-related bumps.

• You don’t have to worry about shaving nicks, nor must you lather on shaving gel or cream with an epilator.

• When you use an epilator, you don’t have to deal with messy wax or smelly creams.

• Epilating is easy, fairly quick, and convenient. And epilators don’t take up much room in a travel bag.

So you’ve decided to take the plunge and buy an epilator. While the device is a simple one, there are a few features to examine in a potential purchase before you buy it. Here are some of the most common epilator features to consider.

You’ll find epilators on the market with everything from 20 to 72 tweezers. The more tweezers an epilator has, the faster the hair-removal process will go.

Epilator attachments are available for various parts of the body. Most women use their epilator on their legs. However, there’s no reason you can’t use it on other body parts as well. Some epilators include attachments that make it easy to epilate your underarms, face, and even the bikini area.

Traditionally, epilators were only for dry skin, but today, there are models suitable for use in the shower. Many women find that it’s a little less painful to epilate wet skin.

Some epilators let you choose between a low speed and a high speed.

A pivoting head makes it easy to smooth the epilator over your curves.

A light attachment helps you spot even the finest hairs.

This handy attachment cuts down on the risk of ingrown hairs and removes dry, dead skin for a smoother appearance.

Cordless epilators run off batteries, which are usually rechargeable. You’ll enjoy being able to move about freely with your epilator, but the tradeoff is less power. If you prefer, you can buy a corded epilator for more power delivery.

Some epilators have attachments that convert the tool into a trimmer, callus remover, or shaver.

Why not treat your skin to a little massage after epilating? Some epilators come with massager attachments.

Q. Are there any side effects to using an epilator?
A. While epilating is a safe procedure for the most part, some people do experience a few minor after-effects, including the following:

• Soreness
• Red spots or bumps, which usually disappear quickly
• Ingrown hairs
• Slight swelling
• Pimples

Generally, these issues clear up quickly.

Q. Why do I still have stubble after epilating?
A. Because hair has several stages of growth, it’s very common to see what appears to be rapid regrowth of hair after your first few epilating sessions. But actually, what you are seeing is not the regrowth of the hairs just plucked. It is the emergence of hairs that were already developing below the surface of your skin. With repeated use of your epilator, you’ll see less and less regrowth, and you’ll be able to enjoy longer stretches in between sessions without the appearance of “stubble.”

Q. Does an epilator remove hair permanently?
A. Although epilation is not a permanent method of hair removal, it does tend to decrease the production of hair over time. This is because the hair follicle is often damaged during the plucking process, leading to finer regrowth or no regrowth at all.

Q. How often should I use my epilator?
A. At first, try to use your epilator three times per week. That way, you’ll catch hairs in each part of the growth cycle. After the first week or two, you can start epilating once per week. As your hair regrowth lessens, you’ll likely need to use your epilator only every couple of weeks.