Is laser hair removal -- a.k.a. photothermolysis -- for you? The process doesn't work well for everyone: it's more effective for people who have dark hair, and it only works for hair that's very short. Discuss the procedure with your hair removal expert before you get it done.

Two or three days before a laser hair removal procedure, shave the area and let it grow stubble. Don't pluck or wax the area. The procedure targets the hair's melanin, the pigment that gives hair and skin its color. The shorter the hair, the better the procedure works.

If you're considering laser hair removal, avoid getting a tan! Since the laser targets melanin, the darkening pigment in skin and hair, if your skin is dark, the laser might burn your skin itself. Although the person doing the procedure will make an effort to protect your skin, better to be safe than sorry.