When it's warm enough for shorter hems, we all get the urge to liberate our legs-even if they're not our greatest assets. Whether the issue is unwanted hair, cellulite, or visible veins, this guide will help you ditch the pants and bare your skin with confidence.
FIGHT FUZZ
The good news is that hair growth on your legs typically slows with age. The bad news? Because the skin on your legs also gets drier, fuzz removal is more likely to cause irritation. What's the best hair remover for sleek, smooth legs?
The good news is that hair growth on your legs typically slows with age. The bad news? Because the skin on your legs also gets drier, fuzz removal is more likely to cause irritation. What's the best hair remover for sleek, smooth legs?
Fast Fix
Razors are the gold standard for quick, easy hair removal. "Pick one with multiple blades to get the job done in fewer strokes and minimize nicks and razor burn," says Arielle Kauvar, MD, clinical professor of dermatology at New York University Langone Medical Center. Try Schick Intuition Naturals Sensitive Care ($9.50; drugstores), with four blades centered in a skin-conditioning solid that melts onto wet skin as you shave. Other keys to a clean sweep: Moisten skin with warm water first, and shave in the morning, when legs are less likely to be swollen, so more of each hair's length is exposed to the blade.
Razors are the gold standard for quick, easy hair removal. "Pick one with multiple blades to get the job done in fewer strokes and minimize nicks and razor burn," says Arielle Kauvar, MD, clinical professor of dermatology at New York University Langone Medical Center. Try Schick Intuition Naturals Sensitive Care ($9.50; drugstores), with four blades centered in a skin-conditioning solid that melts onto wet skin as you shave. Other keys to a clean sweep: Moisten skin with warm water first, and shave in the morning, when legs are less likely to be swollen, so more of each hair's length is exposed to the blade.
Serious Solution
The new LightSheer Duet hair-removal laser is faster and less painful than older lasers. Its vacuum head gently stretches skin closer to the light source, so more energy can reach (and destroy) follicles, and your body is tricked into feeling the vacuum sensation instead of the usual stinging. Bonus: Faster also means cheaper. Hair-removal laser costs about $800 per session, compared with $2,000-plus for traditional hair-removal lasers.
The new LightSheer Duet hair-removal laser is faster and less painful than older lasers. Its vacuum head gently stretches skin closer to the light source, so more energy can reach (and destroy) follicles, and your body is tricked into feeling the vacuum sensation instead of the usual stinging. Bonus: Faster also means cheaper. Hair-removal laser costs about $800 per session, compared with $2,000-plus for traditional hair-removal lasers.
VANQUISH SPIDER VEINS
About 50% of women 50-plus have spider veins, small, dilated blood vessels that are visible when located near your skin's surface. The usual cause is genetics, but obesity and long hours of standing or sitting with legs crossed can also cause them by compromising blood flow.
About 50% of women 50-plus have spider veins, small, dilated blood vessels that are visible when located near your skin's surface. The usual cause is genetics, but obesity and long hours of standing or sitting with legs crossed can also cause them by compromising blood flow.
Fast Fix
Hide veins with a tinted leg spray or waterproof body makeup, like Dermablend Leg and Body Cover SPF 15 ($27; dermablend.com).
Hide veins with a tinted leg spray or waterproof body makeup, like Dermablend Leg and Body Cover SPF 15 ($27; dermablend.com).
Serious Solution
Spider veins may disappear after sclerotherapy, a procedure in which each vein is injected with a solution that causes it to collapse. Many docs are doing the procedure with Asclera, which has fewer side effects and may be more effective than traditional sclerotherapy solutions, according to West Palm Beach dermatologist Ken Beer, MD. Treating both legs can take up to 10 $275 to $400 sessions.
Spider veins may disappear after sclerotherapy, a procedure in which each vein is injected with a solution that causes it to collapse. Many docs are doing the procedure with Asclera, which has fewer side effects and may be more effective than traditional sclerotherapy solutions, according to West Palm Beach dermatologist Ken Beer, MD. Treating both legs can take up to 10 $275 to $400 sessions.
HIDE CELLULITE
Got cellulite? You're not alone; more than 85% of women experience dimpling, which gets worse with age-perhaps because skin's connective tissue weakens, allowing underlying fat to bulge.
Got cellulite? You're not alone; more than 85% of women experience dimpling, which gets worse with age-perhaps because skin's connective tissue weakens, allowing underlying fat to bulge.
Fast Fix
A lotion with theophylline (a diuretic agent) or caffeine-such as Vichy CelluDestock ($39.50; drugstores)-can temporarily plump skin's surface, so legs appear smoother, according to Miami-based dermatologist Leslie Baumann, MD. And a tinted leg spray, like MAC Skinsheen Leg Spray ($26.50; maccosmetics.com), disguises the lumpy texture but is easier to use than self-tanner because it washes off at the end of the day. Another temporary cellulite fix: Do an inverted yoga pose (prevention.com/ inverted for how-to's); it can drain excess fluid from fat cells, improving puckering for a few hours.
A lotion with theophylline (a diuretic agent) or caffeine-such as Vichy CelluDestock ($39.50; drugstores)-can temporarily plump skin's surface, so legs appear smoother, according to Miami-based dermatologist Leslie Baumann, MD. And a tinted leg spray, like MAC Skinsheen Leg Spray ($26.50; maccosmetics.com), disguises the lumpy texture but is easier to use than self-tanner because it washes off at the end of the day. Another temporary cellulite fix: Do an inverted yoga pose (prevention.com/ inverted for how-to's); it can drain excess fluid from fat cells, improving puckering for a few hours.
Serious Solution
CelluPulse, a treatment that uses high-energy pulsed sound waves, may help smooth bulges. It's FDA approved for treating muscle injuries, but many docs use it off label for cellulite. "We typically see 75 to 80% improvement in the look of cellulite after six to eight sessions," says Anna Buinewicz, MD, a cosmetic physician in Doylestown, PA. The cost? Up to $3,200 for eight sessions.
CelluPulse, a treatment that uses high-energy pulsed sound waves, may help smooth bulges. It's FDA approved for treating muscle injuries, but many docs use it off label for cellulite. "We typically see 75 to 80% improvement in the look of cellulite after six to eight sessions," says Anna Buinewicz, MD, a cosmetic physician in Doylestown, PA. The cost? Up to $3,200 for eight sessions.
