Shaving – it gets worse

CREAMS, razors, tweezers, electric shavers. Now there’s another weapon in the home hair-removal arsenal: Heat – in the form of a new little device called the no!no!

This new, palm-sized gizmo from Sephora uses a heated wire to send a growth-disrupting signal through each hair follicle. Hair is damaged upon contact and then you buff it away. Better yet: The no!no! claims to reduce hair density in a matter of months with continual use.

DIY electrolysis? Well, not exactly – electrolysis involves a needle and electric current. But we decided to give it a spin anyway, putting down our old-school razor to get our legs Friday-night ready.

We opened the box and got a little freaked out. The no!no! looks an awful lot like a stun gun, and the instructions warn to steer clear of face, breast and genitals. Uh, no problem.

After a glass of wine (and a screening of the instructional DVD), we got to work. The device glides like a shaver, though it takes more than one swipe to get each patch of skin completely hair-free. The sensation is warm but not uncomfortably hot. But then, there’s the odor. Oh, yes, the odor. A quick visit to sephora.com – no!no!’s exclusive retailer – informed us that eau de burning hair was nothing to worry about.

By the time we were through – and the no!no! takes time, 20 minutes in our experience – our legs were mini-skirt smooth, but nothing we hadn’t accomplished before with a can of Barbasol and a fresh Schick.

As for the long-term claims, we consulted Dr. Ramsey Markus, an assistant professor of dermatology and director of laser surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. Although Markus, who specializes in hair removal, hasn’t seen the device in action, he is doubtful of no!no!’s ability to meet the long-term goal. “If I had my choice, I’d probably do other things,” he says. “There needs to be much more information to know if it really is effective.”

Sure, it looks cutting edge. But for now, those in need of extensive landscaping should save their $250 for a wax or laser treatments. A good ol’ twin blade should suffice for everyone else.

erin.weinger@latimes.com