Do you feel more like a bear than a pretty woman? Are you fed up of your weekly visits to the salon? Do you think you’re suffering from Hirsutism?
If so, then calm down, take a deep breath and relax. Even mermaids have beard and moustache
Because many women out there are fighting with the menace of unwanted facial hair, just like YOU and ME.
I always wished to have a magic wand to sway and get rid of all unwanted facial hair.
But, alas, it only happens in my dreams.
However, there are many techniques of facial hair removal for women to suit every budget. Yupieee!!
Unwanted hair on the visible areas of the body like face, hands, feet and at the nape of your neck is unsightly and awkward.
They occur due to imbalance of hormones in the body, use of certain medications, irregular menstrual cycle or due to pregnancy.
If you want to prevent hair loss after pregnancy, then you can read my previous article here.
In this article, you’ll get to know different methods to remove facial hair and their pros and cons which will help you choose the best option for you.
Ways to Get Rid Of Facial Hair
1. Plucking or Tweezing
Tweezing is the best way to get rid of unwanted facial hair at home. It’s done for personal grooming purposes, usually with tweezers or an epilator (motorized hair Plücker) to remove hair one by one.
How it works: You’ve to pull out individual hairs by the root with tweezers.
It lasts for: 3-8 weeks
Pros:
- Tweezers are relatively inexpensive, so everyone can afford them.
- It’s ideal for shaping eyebrows and removing unwanted facial hair.
- It’s convenient and can be done in the privacy of your own home.
Cons:
- Tweezing is slow, tedious and somewhat painful, particularly in sensitive areas.
- Improper tweezing can cause ingrown hairs and puckered skin.
- Though uncommon, infection from unsanitary tweezers is possible.
- It’s not recommended for large areas of hair.
Best for: Small areas of the face like eyebrows and upper lip.
Smart tips: Before and after each use, clean the tweezers with rubbing alcohol to lower your chances of getting an infection.
Also, don’t forget to apply moisturizer after tweezing, to get rid of facial hair bumps.
2. Threading
Unlike plucking, where single hairs are pulled out one by one, threading can remove short lines of hair.
It can be painful as many hairs are removed at once, however this can be minimized if it is done in a correct way.
It’s better as compared to eyebrow waxing, as it provides more precise control in shaping eyebrows and is gentler on your skin.
Get perfect eyebrows with threading
How it works: A thin cotton or polyester thread is doubled, and then twisted. It’s then rolled over areas of unwanted facial hair, plucking them at the follicle level.
It lasts for: 3-5 weeks
Pros:
- Threading is one of the most sanitary methods for facial hair removal.
- It’s completely safe for those who have sensitive or dry skin.
- No chemicals are used in it. Great!!
- It’s affordable.
- Hair removal done with threading is very precise and can be used to remove any bothersome facial hair.
Cons:
- Threading is a bit painful, leaving skin red for some time.
- It’s time consuming.
- Removing hair from taut areas with thread is quite a task and you’ll experience slight pinching.
- You can’t do it yourself, unlike tweezing. So, you’ve to find someone skilled in the threading method.
Best for: Small areas of the face.
If you opt for this hair removal method, remember you’ll have to undergo the pain every few days. As the hair isn’t pulled out from the root and grows back faster.
3. Shaving
What did Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor has in common? Marrying multiple rich dudes? Yes and?
They both used to shave their faces. Yes, you read it right. J
Their reason?
Shaving your face not only removes the hair, but also does a great job of exfoliating your skin.
Therefore, it has become the next best facial hair removal method after threading.
How it works: By using a razor or an electric shaver, you cut the hair very close to the skin.
If you believe in the popular myth that shaving your hair cause’s them to grow back coarser then let me tell you that an unshaved hair has a tip that is soft and tapered.
When you shave the facial hair, you shave off the soft tip, therefore it feels coarser.
It lasts for: 1-3 days
Pros:
- One of the many pros of shaving facial hair is that it’s super fast as you can get rid of all the unwanted hair in less than 10 minutes.
- Shaving is painless, super easy and won’t leave any mess behind. All you need is a new sharp razor, shaving cream or shower gel and you’re ready to shave.
- Razors are cheap and easily available at the drugstore or nearby supermarket.
Cons:
- The worst con of shaving facial hair is that it leaves ingrown hair.
- Sensitive skin can get easily irritated right after shaving, as it removes a very thin layer of your skin along the process.
- Repetitive use of a razor causes red or dark spots on the skin called razor bumps.
- You can unintentionally harm or hurt yourself when the blade is too sharp or you’re not focused completely.
Best for: It works everywhere.
Smart tips: If you’re using disposable razor, then wet your skin and use soap or shaving cream.
Always, shave with the grain and replace your razor often as you can cut yourself with a dull one.
4. Depilatory Creams
Depilatory creams also known as hair removal creams, are easily available without a prescription. These creams are not all the same.
So, be sure to read the label before buying them. For example, you can’t use a bikini hair removal cream to remove your facial hair.
How it works: The chemicals present in these products dissolve the hair shaft to remove the unwanted hair.
It lasts for: 3-5 days.
Pros:
- Easy and painless.
- It can be done at home.
- It doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket.
Cons:
- Using the cream improperly – for instance: leaving it on too long can burn your skin.
- It doesn’t last longer.
Best for: depilatory creams can be used anywhere.
Smart tips: If you’ve a history of allergies, then first try the facial hair removal cream on a small portion on your arm. Otherwise, you’ll harm yourself.
Also, never apply these creams thickly anywhere on your body to save yourself from redness and swelling.
5. Waxing
Facial waxing has proved to be the best facial hair removal method for me.
You can also try it as many beauty salons offer special waxes like mango or chocolate wax for removing facial hair.
But it’ll have different effects on different people. As it may work like magic for you but may be tragic for your friend. Just kidding!!
Also, many women with excessive facial hair use a combination of methods, like threading chin and upper lip and bleaching the rest of the face.
Or waxing sideburns and threading chin and upper lip.
How it works: Your cosmetologist will spread the wax on your face, and then cover it with cloth strips. When the wax will dry, the strips will be quickly pulled off, taking the hair with them.
Some types of wax like non-strip wax can be pulled off without cloth strips.
It lasts for: 3-6 weeks
Pros:
- Facial waxing is perfect for women with considerable facial hair, who tend to bleach them, often with disastrous results. Ladies, golden facial hair is never a golden sight. So, please replace bleaching with waxing.
- It lasts for about two or more weeks and this is pretty good in comparison to shaving. Because the last thing you want is anything that resembles a beard on your face.
- Waxing damages your hair follicles, but this is a blessing in disguise because it reduces the growth of hair and over time your face will be hair-free COMPLETELY. After all, isn’t being completely hair-free the real pursuit of happiness here?
- It’s economical and can even be done at home.
Cons:
- Redness and bumps. But trust me, they’re not as scary as they seems.
- The skin on the face is very thin and delicate and regular pulling will result in loose skin.
- It’s painful therefore “No pain No gain” pretty much sums up the waxing experience.
- Wrong waxing can cause skin irritation, burns, discoloration, infections and even allergic reactions.
Best for: Chin, upper lip or sideburns.
Smart tips:
- Sprinkle a bit of baby powder to the area about to be waxed. As it’ll absorb the excess moisture so the wax and cloth strip can adhere properly.
- Cold wax would be safer for your face.
- Let your hair grow for a few weeks before waxing as wax can grab long hair easily.
6. Laser
Do you get pimple-like breakouts or razor bumps when you get rid of unwanted hair? If yes, then thanks to the advances in technology, you can consider laser hair removal.
In a few office visits as per your hair growth, you’ll be free from the unwanted hair for several months.
Also, when the hair regrows, you’ll see noticeably less hair than before.
How it works: The dermatologist will destroy the roots of hair with strong beams of light to remove unwanted facial and body hair.
It lasts for: You might need to go back every 6-12 months for a touchup.
Pros:
- Laser hair removal is longer lasting as compared to other forms of removal. Therefore, it’s near permanent solution.
- Though it’s slightly expensive, it prolongs and reduces the growth and makes the hair finer in appearance.
Cons:
- Laser hair treatment is quite expensive. That’s why I’m not in its favor.
- Swelling, redness and acne.
- It’ll not work on white and blonde hair.
- Insurance doesn’t cover laser hair removal.
- Skin burns occur but more frequently on patients with darker skin. As skin with darker pigments absorb the laser more readily.
- It may cause hyper pigmentation.
- Itching is a normal side effect during and after this treatment.
Best for: It’s blessing for women with dark hair and light skin.
7. Electrolysis
The best answer to: How to get rid of facial hair permanently is Electrolysis is the only hair removal method certified by FDA as being permanent and effective.
Hair removal treatment can be done by Electrolysis, Thermolysis, or a combination of both.
How it works: A trained expert will place a tiny needle inside each hair follicle to destroy the root with an electric current.
It lasts for: You’ll need treatments every 1-2 weeks until the hair is mostly removed.
Pros:
- It has the best overall results, versus any other method in getting rid of unwanted hair for long periods of time or even permanently.
- People who aren’t good candidates for laser can get electrolysis as it doesn’t target hair pigment like laser, but attacks the follicle itself.
Cons:
- Redness, scarring and swelling.
- This process is painful and time-consuming, therefore tiresome.
- Multiple treatments are often required to achieve permanent destruction.
- Pigmentation and skin discoloration at the site of treatment is pretty common.
- Women with white or blonde hair who can’t get laser may see good results from electrolysis.
- It can be pricey with a total cost between $2,000 and $20,000 to clear a face. It’s too much!!
Best for: Because it’s time consuming, it’s best for small areas like the upper lip or chin.
In a nutshell
There is NO natural way to get rid of facial hair permanently.
So, don’t be fooled by those home remedies that promise to do so. Because they can only reduce the hair growth, not remove them for once and all.
You can also share your experiences regarding facial hair removal with other readers in the comments.
