In my constant search for a way to make my head as smooth as possible for as long as possible without it being permanent (maybe some day...), I read a forum where someone mentioned a product called Magic Smooth. This is a depilatory cream marketed to black men who want to be bald but don't want to shave. I tracked down and ordered a tube but have not been bald since I got it, so there haven't been any opportunities to try it out. Until now.
I did a patch test on my arm, and then on my leg to see how it would do on coarser hair. It did a pretty good job, and it didn't turn my skin green or anything. Tonight was the real test. I left it on for the maximum allowed time, and I can barely tell any difference. There are some areas where it definitely feels like there is less hair, but the goal was for there to be no hair. It also irritated my scalp quite a bit, so I will not be able to shave until at least tomorrow without making it worse. The plus side is that it didn't leave me looking patchy.
