Bleaching is not a way of hair removal, but many women use bleaching as a cheap method of covering the presence of unwanted hair by removing the hair's natural pigment.

Common body parts for bleaching include the beard area, upper lip, and the arms. The active ingredients in bleaching agents are hydrogen peroxide and sulfates as activating agents, a combination that bleaches, softens, and oxidizes hair. There are a number of commercial bleaches are available on the market today, and the manufacturer's instructions are easy to follow. As with chemical depilatories, perform a small patch test to assess for allergic reaction.

The disadvantages of bleaching include skin irritation, temporary skin discoloration, pruritus, and the prominence of bleached hair against tanned or naturally dark skin.

Reports exist of generalized urticaria, asthma, syncope, and shock in reaction to the persulfate activator added to boost the effect of hydrogen peroxide bleach.