If you're going for a smooth and hair-free look, that happy trail hair isn't all that happy. In fact, this hair that grows vertically from your navel to your pubic hair might be a nuisance that you simply don't know how to deal with. Whether you want to lather up and take a razor to this stomach fuzz in the shower or tackle it with a more long-term treatment, you have options when it comes to making things silky smooth below the belly button.

The fastest and cheapest way to remove unwanted stomach hair starts at home with a couple of simple treatments.

Work shaving that happy trail into your shower routine. Lather up your favorite shaving cream on that stomach hair, and gently glide the razor across it against the direction of the hair growth. Shaving is a short-term way to erase that happy trail, but it's easy to accomplish at home in a pinch.

Depilatory creams target the keratin in each happy trail hair, working to thin and weaken the hair's base until you can simply wipe it away. These creams contain alkaline chemicals capable of breaking down the hair root. Another convenient option, depilatory creams can make your lower stomach stubble free in a matter of minutes. Apply the cream to the hair, let the formula work its magic and wipe away that unwanted hair.

If you want to banish that happy trail for the long term, leave the hair removal to a professional. A dermatologist or spa esthetician can help eliminate that stomach hair.

A waxing treatment removes each stray happy trail hair by the root, which inhibits growth and promotes a smooth, hair-free stomach. During the procedure, hot wax is applied to the hair. Then, a cloth strip is pressed down on the wax and quickly removed -- as is the hair. You'll enjoy a hair-free stomach for about four to six weeks after you wax.

In this method, lasers use light energy to kill hair at the root. In addition to erasing existing stomach hair, this technique can also inhibit or slow down future hair growth in this area, giving you a happy-trail-free life for the long term.

Electrolysis targets the hair follicle, which is responsible for hair growth. A thin needle delivers shocks of electricity to the hair shaft to kill the follicle. Electrolysis is a permanent hair removal option that allows you to remove the happy trail for good.