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New Hair Removal Treatment Claims To Leave Skin Permanently Smooth

BOSTON (CBS) - Women, and many men spend a lot of money on hair removal, a process that can be inconvenient and expensive, but a new procedure is promising permanently smooth skin.

Depilar is a two-step gel applied to the skin.  The claim behind it is that enzymes in each part of the gel damage the hair's roots, slowing and eventually stopping the hair from growing back.

Cosmetic dermatologist Patricia Wexler agrees that this treatment could lead to permanent hair removal.

WBZ-TV's Paula Ebben reports

"There is viability to this treatment," she said.  "You have an open, empty follicle, so you are putting something in the empty follicle and hoping to destroy that follicle."

Salon workers say that while many Depilar users see results the first time, the speed of the results depends on the coarseness of the hair, as well as where the hair is located.  Some people can take more than a dozen sessions to see permanent results.

"Like anything new, you want to make sure that it's good for your skin type," Wexler said.

Ranging from $40 to $120 depending on the size of the area, the treatment is not cheap, but  it's also not as costly as laser treatments, which can be several hundred dollars per session.

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