I thought it was about time we talked about the delicate subject of developing facial hair as we mature.
Some females develop facial hair in their 20's and 30's. Often due to conditions such as PCOS. For most women though it is something that can start to appear in our 40's. They can present as those pesky, fluffy white hairs on the chin. Clumps of dark hair on the outer cheeks and upper lip. Also a random mixture of white and dark hairs towards the neck. I see a lot of faces and I can assure you - you are NOT alone.
There are many ways of dealing with the issue.
-Tweezing and waxing is common. It is most effective if done every 4-6 weeks.
-I have had a lot of success with sugaring. The sugar paste melts into the follicle and seems to grab onto shorter hairs. It often results in less broken hairs and less removal of the outer layer of skin than with waxing.
-Hair removal creams work similar to shaving by chemically cutting the hair off at the surface or just below. So they are easy to use but the hair will reappear quite quickly.
-Laser and IPL works best on darker hairs. Both are light based treatments that target the pigment in the hair. Some clinics claim to have lasers that can treat white hair however this often gets mixed results. One thing to remember is that 20% of the follicles may regenerate within a few years. So this is permanent hair "reduction" not total removal.
-Electroysis is still one of the best methods for eliminating white and random hairs. It is best done in short bursts to keep the treatments comfortable and affordable.
-There are also hair reduction creams that compliment all of the above methods. Often they have an enzymatic action that also improves cell turnover.
Just as modern day treatment for skin is all about "Age Managment" not "Anti-Ageing". Removing facial hair is something that can be managed by talking to your therapist or aesthetician.