Unwanted Facial Hair? No worries!

Unwanted facial hair is normal and we all have them to some extent. For some of us, it may not be a big deal while for others, it can be embarrassing. There are several methods of dealing with facial hair and your choice depends upon personal preference.

• Bleaching

This method works best for facial hair and even for forearms, neck and body hair. Make sure you adhere to the instructions that accompany a bleaching product when preparing the formula. I wouldn’t recommend using bleach on sensitive skin but if you think your skin can take it, I would suggest doing a patch test atleast 24 hours before treatment. If you note any sensitivity, do not use it. My personal favourite is *Jolen Creme Bleach. I have been using this for so many years now. I even used this all over my back before my wedding day 7 years back. This is a trusted product for me and even my mom. I know I can’t go wrong with this. It not only bleaches the skin but also gets rid of any tan or dead skin (including blackheads or whiteheads). Brilliant right? As spring/summer is approaching, I think its a great option to prep your skin so you can easily wear low necks or sleeveless.

• Waxing

This method is used by many women to quickly remove hair from face. A layer of melted wax is applied in the direction of hair growth, cooled and stripped off in opposite direction to remove unwanted hair. I have not tried melted wax on my face but got that done on body several times in the past. I know the technique but I do not think this should be tried at home if you’re not experienced. I would leave this to professionals to avoid any burns.

However, another waxing technique that can be done at home without spending a lot of money would be using wax strips. I like using *Nair Wax Strips for my upper lip. These are very easy to use and are very quick in removing hair temporarily. After using these, I do not feel the need to wax for about 2-3 weeks. For waxing, you need to do a patch test atleast 24 hours before treatment. You should wash the area to be waxed properly with mild soap and water. Pat dry and apply powder if you sweat more or you have active oil glands. Apply the wax strip by pressing it down over the hair to be removed in the direction of hair growth and make it adhere by pressing down firmly with the palm of the hand. Holding the skin taut, quickly pull off the strip in the opposite direction, parallel to the skin. The Japanese Cherry Blossom Range is my current fave.

If you do not have face strips handy, body waxing strips can also be cut into small pieces and they do the job perfectly too.

•    Shaving

Shaving is not new but it got attention again when Huda Kattan demonstrated this method in one of her YouTube videos. Shaving is quick, effective and cheapest way of removing facial hair. It is known to remove dead skin along with unwanted hair. Some people say your hair can become thick/coarse and you might get more unwanted hair than you do now. I am not sure if its true as women who shave their face have not reported any such thing (as per internet). I have not tried this method personally so I can’t help much here.

Never shave on dry skin and always use shaving lotion, foam or cream (whichever you prefer).

• Tweezing

Tweezing is usually done on coarse hair. Using tweezers is the best way to remove scattered hair from facial zones like eyebrows. I use tweezers to remove any left over hair from upper lip too. Tweezers can easily be available from any beauty store.

• Electrolysis

Although expensive, this method is most effective for removing facial hair or from tender areas. A fine wire, steel or platinum needle is applied to the opening of hair follicle. a 40-second low-voltage electric current transmits down the needle to destroy the papilla, loosening the hair shaft to allow for removal. A slight burning sensation might be felt. Electrolysis is not quick and several sessions may be necessary.

• Threading

Threading is quite common in Middle Eastern and Asian countries. As I have Indian roots, I have always preferred threading over any other hair removal method. This method involves using a thin, doubled cotton thread pulled super taut to roll over spots where you wish to remove hairs, thus pulling them out. This should be done only by a trained professional as this is trickier than using wax strips or Tweezing/plucking.

• Depilation

This is a hair-removal treatment that should not be administered to face but is ok to use on legs, arms and under-arms. These days depilatory creams are available even for bikini areas. Depiliation treatments are available as powders, sprays, gels or creams and work by dissolving the hair shaft. This treatment does not affect root of the hair so will not prevent hair-regrowth. The treatment can take 10-15 minutes. Regular use weakens the hair and slows down regrowth. A patch test is advisable before using this treatment.

p.s. Do not use depilatory treatment on face.

• Laser

Laser hair removal is the process of removing unwanted hair by means of exposure to pulses of laser light that destroy the hair follicle. It had been performed experimentally for about twenty years before becoming commercially available in the mid-1990s. Laser hair removal is widely practiced in clinics, and even in homes using devices designed and priced for consumer self-treatment. This is a painless, fast and effective hair removal technique. The technique depends upon the

The primary principle behind laser hair removal is selective photothermolysis (SPTL), the matching of a specific wavelength of light and pulse duration to obtain optimal effect on a targeted tissue with minimal effect on surrounding tissue. Lasers can cause localized damage by selectively heating dark target matter, melanin, in the area that causes hair growth, the follicle, while not heating the rest of the skin. Light is absorbed by dark objects, so laser energy can be absorbed by dark material in the skin, but with much more speed and intensity. This dark target matter, or chromophore, can be naturally occurring or artificially introduced.

Melanin is considered the primary chromophore for all hair removal lasers currently on the market. Melanin occurs naturally in the skin, and gives skin and hair their color. There are two types of melanin in hair. Eumelanin gives hair brown or black color, while pheomelanin gives hair blonde or red color. Because of the selective absorption of photons of laser light, only black or brown hair can be removed. Laser works best with dark coarse hair. Light skin and dark hair are an ideal combination, being most effective and producing the best results, but new lasers are now able to target black hair in patients with dark skin with some success.

If you are planning on undergoing laser hair removal, you should limit plucking, waxing, and electrolysis for six weeks before treatment. That’s because the laser targets the hairs’ roots, which are temporarily removed by waxing or plucking. You should also avoid sun exposure for six weeks before and after treatment.

Hope you’ve found options that will suit you best.

Much love

Ash xoxo

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*The products marked with asterisk * were gifted to me for PR purposes. My opinions are however genuine and unbiased.

**  Some content is taken from Vogue Beauty book and Wikipedia.

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