Posted by Nikoletta Ventseslavova

Read if: you need a permanent solution for facial hair

Our desire to get rid of excess or dark hair usually begins in adolescence. We all have vellus hair, as it helps our body maintain a steady temperature. However, some people with dark complexions have darker and more noticeable hair on their back and face. While men intend to keep the hair on their scalp, women fight with unwanted facial hair. Statistics show that more than 50 million women in the USA are concerned about facial hair. However, this is a taboo subject.

Next to the dozens of products devoted to making the hair on your head thicker, shiner and stronger, you will see dozens more promising to get rid of unwanted hair. Depilatory creams are the most popular remedies. Effectively just acids, they remove hairs from the skin’s surface by reacting with the protein structure of the hair, so it dissolves and then can be wiped away. Although they work quickly and are an inexpensive method, we have to be aware that they may cause allergic reactions to sensitive skin.

The disadvantages: These creams contain chemicals called  thioglycolate and sodium hydroxide which can melt away skin cells, leaving rashes and inflammations. That’s why they are not recommended for facial hair removal- firstly, because the effect lasts for several days and second, because the skin on the face is thinner and more sensitive.  Always read the product directions and be sure to apply the product for the recommended amount of time.

Hair inhibitors help in the battle with excess facial hair by restraining hair growth. They are plant enzyme-based products which disrupt normal processes in hair growth, causing it to grow back thinner and finer. As a result the frequency of other hair removal methods is reduced. Inhibitors are usually applied after using other hair removal methods like waxing, shaving or threading.  However, they may not work for everyone and should be used only after a consultation with a doctor. Vaniqa is recommended (but only for women), as it is the only FDA-approved topical cream for treating facial hair. Its active ingredient is eflornithine hydrochloride, which is also used as a treatment for African sleeping sickness and certain cancers. This substance inhibits the enzyme responsible for cell reproduction. The results are usually observed after 4-8 weeks of therapy.

Another common method is waxing. It can be done at a salon or at home. A sticky warm wax is applied on the skin and removed when it cools down and is clutched enough to the hair. There are also cold wax strips. Wax is removed opposite the direction of the hair growth and the hair follicle is removed at the root.  Waxing procedures cost from $20-$70 for home kits  and $30-$200 for professional waxing. Regular waxing disrupts hair follicles and reduces their growth and lasts between 3 to 6 weeks; it leaves the area smooth, as wax removes dead cells from the skin. Waxing is an appropriate method for facial hair removal, in the case the skin is not problematic and too sensitive.

Cons of this method:

-          Waxing procedures should not be repeated too often, as they can cause irritation and bleeding of the skin.

-          Treated areas need special care with exfoliates; they should not be exposed to sun

-          Before waxing you need to let your hair grow ; it requires a quarter inch of hair growth to adhere to the wax

Threading is a very old method, used for centuries in Turkey, India and Egypt. It is mostly used for facial hair removal for women. Threading uses the principle of tweezers: a cotton threat is twisted around the hairs and then pulled out. Compared to plucking, threading leaves the skin smooth as it pulls out rows of hair. It gives results lasting or two to six weeks, similar to waxing. The main difference is that threading works on tiny hairs , which gives it an edge over waxing and tweezing. It can remove hairs long as small as a sixteenth of an inch. This method costs from $5 to $50 depending on the areas treated, it is safe and sanitary, with last longing results.

The mainly disadvantage is that trained practitioners may be difficult to find, as most cosmetologists are not qualified for this procedure. Hair may break and start re-growing faster if the method is not applied by a professional.

Electrolysis has the best track record and the only method approved by the FDA for permanent hair removal. Compared to laser hair removal, you don’t need a certain hair or skin color to attain results and its effectiveness is proven. Electrolysis involves inserting a fine needle into the hair follicle and applying an electrical current to the follicle root. As a result, the hair root get burned, preventing it from producing more hair. This method requires repeated treatments for 12 to 18 months, as hair follicles are in different phases of growth.

The cons are the price and duration – you will need anywhere from 15-30 treatments and a 30-minute session costs about $45. For treating excess hair on upper lips you will need between $150 and $300 to complete that area, but if the hair is coarse and dark, the cost may reach $1000. In addition, if the procedure is not carried out by professional, skin may become damaged (infection, hyperpigmentation, keloid formation,etc.)

Bear in mind that sometimes, “excessive facial and body hair may be a result of physical and medical issues” says the experienced clinician Barabara Philips and explains: “For example, polycystic ovarian syndrome and obesity (adipose tissue can produce androgens). Occasionally it can be related to adrenal tumors. In these cases one will see more than just the occasional stray hair on the face. If this is happening to you, see your health care provider.”

*** A personal story for facial hair with happy ending***

She was about 16 or 17 when her mother made a remark saying she had a few dark hairs on her chin and that she should do something about it. The way her mother told her hurt the self esteem of the girl and she went straight home and plucked them out and the odyssey began. Once she began plucking facial hairs there was no turning back. She tried bleaching, but bleach made the hairs go yellow, they lost their softness and became stronger. Soon the hairs multiplied and she decided to try laser treatment. She  paid up to $1000 over one year for treatment, but it didn’t work at all.

In the laser clinic she met a professional in electrolysis who said that people had been complaining that laser therapies didn’t give results and that electrolysis was the only real and permanent solution. After a few electrolysis sessions the girl began to see that facial hairs had become softer and lighter. A few months later they all disappeared.

Ten years later she confesses: “I know the feeling of thinking everybody is looking at you. Now that the hairs are permanently gone and I don’t have to carry a tweezer with me where ever I go. It feels so liberating!  For the electrolysis I simply had to let the hairs grow out a fraction. I’d bleach them or put lots of foundation on the area. I simply psyched myself up that a little bit of hair showing was worth getting rid of it forever.Electrolysis is still available even though most people opt for laser. I never went back to laser.”

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