i had an epilady discrette that i used for only about a year before it essentially stopped working. (the cord now has to be held in one precise position for it to run, which is a pain.) while i was generally pleased with how it removed my hair, i didn't like how noisy it was, or how i often had to go over patches repeatedly to get all the hairs.

after some comparative shopping, i went out on a limb with the Remington EP-4000 Smooth and Silky Epilator. it just arrived, so i can't speak to its longevity yet, but right away i like it better!

*it is quieter

*the head is wider and the little comby things can help lift the hairs (but only if you tip it the right way, which goes against the directions to hold it at a 90 degree angle, but oh well)

*it is sturdier

*it removes very small hairs

*it can be charged and run up to an hour, cordless, thus eliminating the cord-twisting problems that ended the usefulness of my... Read more

I was getting sick and tired of shaving, so I decided to give this a try. I have to say I am most pleased. I won't lie; there is some stinging, but overall the experience wasn't as uncomfortable as I imagined. I highly recommend doing it after a nice, hot shower. Your hairs will be softer and will come out much easier. I also recommend doing it at night the first few times you do it, so that any redness will be gone by morning. Using a good quality, unscented lotion like Lubriderm afterwards will also soothe any redness. I used this on both my underarms and my legs, and it got rid of even the most stubborn hairs. It's also easy to clean and you can use it while it is plugged into the charger if you don't want to run down the battery. It takes about the same time as shaving, but it gets the job done so much better. Great product!

Here's the protocol: first hot shower to get the pores open, then rigorously exfoliate with St. Ives Apricot scrub (you should still see color on your skin when you're done; don't be ridiculous). Epilate, using both sides of the epilator (hair grows different directions). Pluck remainders, just a few renegades if you followed directions. Exfoliate again, this time a bit more gently. Moisturize with something very gentle (I use Elizabeth Arden First Defense Advanced Anti-oxidant lotion or anything by Purpose (way cheaper)). I don't keloid, so I don't know if that's an issue. I have to do this about once every 7-10 days.