Waxing is a method of hair removal often used in beauty salons where beauticians heat pans of wax, judge the right temperature (not too hot and not too hard), apply it in strips and rip it off quickly, taking the hairs with the wax. It can work out an expensive business but an ankle to thigh wax away could last for weeks. A good idea for just before a holiday. You can have a 'bikini wax' round the top of the thighs, and waxing is used to remove hair from backs, stomachs, arms and face as well as legs.

Waxing removes hair from the roots and so it lasts longer than other methods, except electrolysis. Frequent waxing does seem to have a discouraging effect. Hair grows back usually more finely and sparsely.

Bad points? It's tedious to do yourself at home and a home wax kit can be quite expensive. It does hurt Just like removing a sticky bandage. But the quicker you rip the better. And judging just the right moment to apply the hot wax isn't easy.

Cold wax can be an alternative method for arms or legs. You buy a tube of sticky cold wax, apply it in strips with a spatula in the direction of hair growth, then press on strips of cotton material, which you rip off quickly. Cold wax strips are more expensive, ready prepared between two sheets of gauze. But one strip could last a number of times.