Like many other black women, Dori Wilson spares no expense when it comes to her hair. The Chicago publicist spends as much as $10,000 a year on shampoos, conditioners, color treatments, weaves, wigs and weekly trips to the salon.

Electrolysis (ee-lehk-TRAWL-oh-sihs) and waxing are two methods of epilation (ep-ih-LAY- shun), or removal of hair below the skin's surface. So far, electrolysis is the only hair removal procedure that's considered permanent by the FDA (F-D-A).