Female Facial Hair Removal: What Are The Options?

Key Takeaways

• Facial hair in women is normal but excessive growth (hirsutism) may be linked to hormones, PCOS, or other health conditions.

• At-home methods include shaving, creams, tweezing, epilation, and waxing — each with pros and cons around cost, effectiveness, and skin irritation.

• Prescription option: Vaniqa cream can slow regrowth by targeting hair growth enzymes.

• Professional treatments such as threading, laser hair removal, and electrolysis provide longer-lasting results but vary in cost and suitability.

• Best method depends on your skin type, hair type, budget, time, and tolerance for pain or irritation.

Understanding Female Facial Hair

It's normal for women to have some facial hair. After puberty, women tend to develop light, fine hair on the face including on the:

• Upper lip

• Chin

• Cheeks

• Jawline

Age, hormones, and family history all affect facial hair growth. Despite it being normal, many women are self conscious about this and opt to remove unwanted hair. Excessive facial hair growth in women is known as hirsutism.

What Is Hirsutism?

Hirsutism is defined as excessive growth of thick, dark hair in areas it doesn't normally grow. Excess hair growth everywhere is known as hypertrichosis. Hirsutism is dependent on androgen production - a group of sex hormones that give "male" characteristics caused predominantly by testosterone.

In up to 70% of cases, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the main cause. Medications such as steroids and hormonal issues, including thyroid disorders and cushing's syndrome can also cause hirsutism. In older women who've gone through the menopause, it's common to develop increased facial hair as oestrogen and progesterone levels drop.

In many women, no cause for hirsutism is found and the hair growth is likely due to the body becoming more sensitive to androgens.

Many women treat hirsutism themselves, but you should seek help from a doctor if hair develops quickly or before puberty, your scalp hair is thinning/voice is getting deeper, or if you're also experiencing menstrual issues/weight gain.

A doctor can help treat the cause, but there are various techniques you can use to remove unwanted facial hair at home or with the help of a professional.

At-Home Facial Hair Removal Methods

Shaving: Quick and Easy

A common hair removal technique, shaving is cheap, quick and easy. It can effectively remove facial hair, improving confidence. Shaving also removes some dead skin cells, resulting in smooth skin to apply make up to.

However, it's only a short term solution. Hair grows back quickly (sometimes even in the same day) and dark hairs may still be visible under the skin. Shaving can damage the skin, cause itching and discomfort, and lead to ingrown hairs which are painful and unsightly.

For best results, exfoliate first, then use a clean, sharp razor with shaving cream. Wash your face first, and consider shaving after you've showered when hair is softer. Shaving isn't a good option for women who suffer from acne or skin conditions like eczema.

You may have heard that shaving makes hair grow back darker and thicker. This isn't true, but hairs do grow back with blunt ends which may appear darker.

Depilatory and Growth Prevention Creams: A Chemical Approach

Depilatory Creams

Depilatory creams work by chemically breaking down the proteins that hold hair in the hair follicle. By working to dissolve hair, the cream can remove all the hair where the cream has been applied in a pain free way.

Hair is removed at the skins' surface in a similar way to shaving but grows back more slowly. Creams are less likely to cause irritation, reduce discomfort and result in fewer ingrown hairs compared to shaving.

Creams are usually more expensive than shaving kits, and take longer as they have to be left for several minutes to work. Some people experience a skin reaction when using the creams which can be minimised by only using creams suitable for the face. Ensure to test the cream on a small area before use.

Growth Prevention Cream

Vaniqa is a hair growth prevention cream containing the active ingredient eflornithine. By targeting the enzyme responsible for hair growth, ornithine decarboxylase, Vaniqa reduces the hair's ability to grow. It doesn't remove hair, but does reduce facial hair regrowth.

Vaniqa is applied twice a day, with results noticeable from 8 weeks. Despite being more expensive than hair removal creams, Vaniqa can have a noticeable impact on how much hair grows back. It is also cheaper than other methods such as laser hair removal.

Vaniqa is available on prescription from the team at Quick Meds.

Plucking and Tweezing: Precision Removal

Plucking individual hairs out is very effective for small areas. It removes hair at the root, in hair follicles, resulting in longer lasting effects. However, it can be painful, increase inflammation, and cause ingrown hairs that lead to scarring. Plucking also takes a long time to do larger areas and a few stray hairs may remain.

To minimise pain, hold the skin taut and pull the hair out in the direction of hair growth. If you want to remove hair from a larger area, it may be better to try epilation.

Epilators: Electronic Hair Removal

Epilators are like lots of little tweezers that pull out hair across a larger surface area. They remove hair at the root, giving longer lasting results and are easier than tweezers to use on a bigger area. Pulling out multiple hairs at once may be more painful, but it's over more quickly and only pulls the skin once.

For best (and least painful) results, hold the skin tight and move the epilator along in the opposite direction to hair growth. Exfoliating before can help, as can getting your face wet if your epilator allows for this. Start with the epilator on the lowest speed, and if it's really painful you can use a numbing cream.

Waxing: Longer-Lasting Results

Another longer-term solution, waxing removes hair at the root. Pulling out the hairs can be painful, especially on the face where skin is more sensitive. It's best to avoid facial waxing altogether if you're using Roaccutane, strong retinols, or antibiotics that make your skin extra sensitive. If you have delicate skin, you should also refrain from waxing.

Home waxing kits come as:

• Pre-prepared paper strips that are ready to use or need to be warmed in your hands

• Hard wax that needs heating and is pulled off using your hands

• Soft wax that needs heating and is removed using strips

• Sugar wax strips

Sugaring is similar to waxing, but is better for sensitive skin as it only sticks to the hair rather than the skin too. However, it's not always as good at removing hair. Pre-prepared strips can be easier for the face as they're often the right size and quick to use. If you're trying to choose between hard and soft wax, hard tends to be better for sensitive areas like the face.

If you're using heated wax, make sure it's not too hot before application so you don't cause burns. Always try out the wax in a small area first, and opt for products designed for use on facial hair.

Apply wax in the direction of hair growth. When removing the wax, always read the packaging instructions on which way to pull. Your skin will probably be sore and red for several hours after waxing but this provides an effective and inexpensive way at dealing with excessive hair growth. Wash your face with sensitive cleanser, apply some fragrance-fee moisturiser and a cold compress if it's very painful.

Professional Facial Hair Removal Treatments

These techniques are usually done by a professional at a clinic or salon, but at-home options and devices are also available.

Threading: An Ancient Technique

Threading involves using a piece of strong thread to remove excess hair by twisting two parts of the thread together and pulling unwanted hair out at the root. It works similarly to tweezing, but is easier to do over a larger scale and can remove smaller, finer hairs.

As it's usually done by a professional, threading tends to be more expensive than home removal but still very affordable. Some women learn to thread and can do it themselves.

Threading is quick, less painful than waxing, and better for sensitive skin whilst giving long-lasting results. It leads to fewer ingrown hairs and is suitable for most hair types.

Electrolysis: Permanent Hair Removal

This method applies an electric current into each hair follicle using tiny probes. Hair is permanently removed over a series of 8-12 sessions, with no need for ongoing treatment. Electrolysis is suitable for all hair types, but is time consuming, expensive, can be painful, and may lead to infection and scarring if done incorrectly.

Laser Hair Removal: High-Tech Solution

Laser removal uses heat from laser beams to destroy part of the hair follicle, leading to reduced hair growth. Hair growth can be reduced for months or years, but requires ongoing treatment.

The process is slow, requiring between 4-10 initial sessions with 4-6 weeks between each one. After this, top-up sessions may be needed every few months or year to prevent hair regrowth. Different types of lasers are better for different hair and skin types, so it's important to do your research first. Make sure to choose a reputable clinic, as incorrect use can lead to skin damage and burns.

It's common to experience some discomfort, swelling, and redness after treatment but this should improve after a few hours.

Hormonal Treatments for Excess Facial Hair

There are also various hormonal treatment options for hirsutism, including oral contraceptives and anti-androgens.

These medications work by limiting the effects of androgens, which reduces the amount of androgen-related hair growth. All medications come with side effects, so it's important to discuss your options with a doctor.

Conclusion: Finding Your Ideal Hair Removal Solution

With so many facial hair removal options, it can be hard to know what's best for you. Remember, many women choose not to remove their facial hair, but if you do decide to, it's important to think about:

• Skin sensitivity

• Hair type

• Hair colour

• Your budget

• How much time you have

• Your level of commitment

Always follow packaging instructions, and seek help from a healthcare professional if you're worried about a reaction, skin irritation, infection, or burn. By considering all these factors, your hair removal journey should be a smooth one.

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