How to Get Rid of Hair Anywhere on Your Body With Pumice

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Reviewed by Barbie Ritzman

Last Updated: March 10, 2025 Approved

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Preparation

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Using the Pumice Stone

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

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Things You'll Need

Are you tired of the pain from waxing unwanted hair, and do you wrinkle your nose at the thought of using smelly hair removal creams? Not ready to drop big bucks on laser or electrolysis treatments? Do like the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans before you, and try using a pumice stone to gently buff away body hair.

Part 1

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Preparation

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1
Find a pumice stone. Pumice stones are inexpensive (usually between $3-$10) and can be found in drug stores, natural grocery stores, and online. You can identify pumice by its porous surface. It is lightweight and usually grey or black.^{[1]
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Research source}
- You can find pumice stones with rubber grips attached or as part of a brush (usually with a nail brush or other buffering tools). Use whatever you're comfortable with.
2
Decide where you want to use the pumice stone. Though it is possible to use pumice anywhere on your body, that doesn't mean you should. Areas with delicate skin and coarse hair (like your bikini area or face) should be avoided if possible.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Pila Xian
Esthetician and Massage Therapist

Expert Interview} Removing the coarse hair would require too much pressure and damage your skin.^{[3]
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Research source} Maybe you'd get the hair off your upper lip with time, but you'd have a very red, irritated, possibly cut upper lip instead. Not a great trade-off.
- The pumice method works best on legs, arms, scalps (if you're bald and looking to get that shine), and shoulders.
- The pumice method is a good way to perform upkeep between waxing sessions.
- If you do plan to use the pumice on your face or bikini area, be extremely gentle. Consider other methods first, like waxing, tweezing, hair removal creams, or shaving.
- Do not use the pumice on skin that is already irritated, red, sunburned, broken, or peeling.^{[4]
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This method of hair removal will work best if the hair is softened. A warm shower or bath will give the hair time to soften up before you begin.^{[5]
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Any time you use an abrasive on your skin (pumice, hair removal mitts, sandpaper), you risk scratching the skin, which makes you susceptible to infection.^{[6]
X
Expert Source

Pila Xian
Esthetician and Massage Therapist

Expert Interview} Cleaning the skin beforehand will minimize the chance of contaminating a scratch with bacteria.

Part 2

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Using the Pumice Stone

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This can help prevent chaffing and irritation when you begin using the pumice stone.
2
Gently rub the pumice stone against your skin using small, circular motions. Alternate between clockwise and counter-clockwise. Your strokes should be brisk, but you should apply very little pressure to the skin.
- If your skin begins to feel irritated, or the process is painful in any way, stop immediately.
- Do not use an up-and-down or sawing motion, as this is more likely to cut your skin.
- Start at the edge of the area where you are removing hair. If you are using it on your arm, begin at your wrist. That way, if you stop partway through, you won't have random patches of missing hair.
4
Rinse the buffed area with water and apply a mild moisturizer. Your skin may be red and slightly irritated from the process. Moisturizer will keep your skin from drying out and may soothe any irritation.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Pila Xian
Esthetician and Massage Therapist

Expert Interview}
- Do not use a perfumed moisturizer, as this may further irritate the skin.
5
Clean the pumice with warm, soapy water and a brush. Remove all the hair and dead skin from the pores of the stone so it will be ready for your next use.
- The pumice will exfoliate your skin, so you shouldn't have to worry about ingrown hairs. Your skin should also be very soft, since the stone removed the top layer of dead skin.
- Clean the pumice after each use with soap and a brush. Let it dry before storing the stone to keep bacteria from growing.^{[8]
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  Expert Source
  
  Barbie Ritzman
  Beauty & Skincare Specialist
  
  Expert Interview}
6
Be patient. You may not see results immediately. Removing hair by this method is gradual, and it may be days or weeks before you see a difference, depending on your skin and the type of hair you are removing.
- Wait 1-3 days before using the pumice stone again. Using this method too often can cause severe irritation or over-exfoliate your skin.

Community Q&A

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Question

Will this cause a darkening of the skin?

Community Answer

No. Your skin will be a little bit of red for a while. but soon it will be normal again.

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What do I do if my skin is sore and red after using a pumice stone?

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Try moisturizing the irritated skin. Don't use the pumice stone for a while.

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Will this work after the first time?

Community Answer

No. It will take at least a couple of weeks to work. You should see a bit of hair reduction after a couple of weeks.

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You can also do this in your room with lotion. In my experience, the lotion was much easier to use than the soap and water. It created a much smoother surface and moisturized my skin while I did this.
Stay away from any salt scrub after you use the stone. It will sting and cause the spot to bleed. If you use a salt scrub, do it before the stone, and wash it off completely.
Don't rub to hard or you will get a rash. If you get a rash, apply aloe vera or cold water to soothe it. Wait until the rash is gone before trying again.
You can find pumice stones at any beauty shop. You'll also find them in stores like Target and Walmart in beauty aisles.

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Warnings

Always apply soap. Without the soap, the pumice rock will put micro-scratches all over the target area.

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Get a pumice stone with rounded edges. Jagged edges will hurt.

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