The hair removal cream method would make me nervous because it doesn't look very precise and you're applying a chemical that eats away at the hair. The slightest mistake could possibly leave a bald spot if the cream comes in contact with a few too many hairs. The plucking method is the most fool proof way because you can monitor exactly how much hair is coming out because you're in control not a chemical. You can literally count the number of hairs you're plucking out. You can pluck out a few hairs at a time and check to see how you're doing as you go. Sometimes it only takes 20 or so hairs to make the difference. The only risk you run is tearing the base if you get too greedy trying to yank out too many hairs at once.

From my experience with the SFS systems from Toplace it's difficult to tear the lace unless you get real careless. As I mentioned the hair slides out pretty easily when wet and conditioned. Eventually I will give the hair removal cream method a try on one of my so called "guinea pig" systems. I recommend everyone keep their old systems that are no longer wearable as a test system so you can try things and if you make a mistake no harm. It's better to try something on an old beat up system than ruining a good one.