Say Goodbye to Facial Hair

Whether it’s a stray chin hair or an unsightly mustache, women struggle with unwanted facial hair much more often than men do. For a man, having hair on your face is generally attractive. But for a woman, it is an attack on her femininity.

 

Luckily for women everywhere, we’ve compiled the different options for facial hair removal – both traditional methods (tweezing, waxing, etc.) and natural methods that involve a whole lot of turmeric.

 

But first, what causes facial hair growth in women?

 

Facial Hair Growth Causes

 

There are several reasons behind the appearance of unwanted facial hair on women. They can range from hereditary diseases, side effects from medications and hormonal problems.

 

Hirsutism

 

In five to ten percent of the cases, the hereditary disease called hirsutism is the cause of the unwanted hair. It is typically passed down genetically through families, but it can occur spontaneously in some instances.

 

If your mom or sister has unwanted facial hair, chances are you and any daughters you have will also have the condition.

 

Hormones

 

Hormones such as testosterone can cause unwanted hair growth. Changes in estrogen production during menopause can also result in unwanted facial hair.

 

Adrenal Gland Problems

 

Located above the kidneys, the adrenal gland is responsible for hormone production. As we’ve mentioned, fluctuating hormone levels can cause unwanted facial hair and a multitude of other problems.

 

Medications

 

Many medications have side effects and unwanted facial hair can be one of them, especially for steroids.

 

We’ve touched on some of the causes for facial hair. Now let’s get to some of the short-term and permanent solutions:

 

Ways to Remove Facial Hair

 

Bleaching

 

You can purchase facial bleach in the beauty section of any store. Or you can go to a salon for the same procedure, just a little bit pricier. This type of bleaching lasts between two to four weeks.

 

There are several bleach remedies made from natural ingredients that you can try at home. The first one is simply rubbing a tomato on the unwanted hair. After a few days, the hairs should appear lighter in color. This is an easy method if you only have a few unwanted hairs.

 

Another natural remedy is mixing two cups sugar with half a cup of water and a quarter cup of lemon juice. Heat the ingredients on the stove and let the mixture cool. Once cool, apply to your face and wash off after a few seconds. The lemon, sugar and water mix will lighten dark facial hairs.

 

Shaving

 

Many women already shave their legs and underarms, so why not their faces, too? The first rule of shaving your facial hair is to use a clean razor different from the one you use on your legs. Some brands make a small plastic razor intended for facial hair instead of the bulky razors for shaving legs.

 

Once you’ve shaved your unwanted facial hair, it will grow back within two weeks, so you will need to shave it again or use another method. Contrary to popular myth, shaving your facial hair won’t make it grow back darker. But it will grow back.

 

Plucking

 

Also known as tweezing, plucking using small tweezers to pull unwanted hair out at the roots. However, the hair follicle is still intact, meaning the hair will grow back in two to six weeks.

 

Depilatories

 

Depilatories are chemical creams, such as waxes, that are applied to the face. When the cream is wiped off, the unwanted hair goes with it. These creams can be pricey, as one treatment only last three to five days.

 

Electrolysis

 

The only true permanent facial hair technique, electrolysis removes the hair follicles completely over the course of several treatments. Each treatment is fifteen minutes to an hour. It varies from person to person how many treatments are needed, so it’s impossible to say generally how long this method takes until completion.

 

Laser hair removal

 

Laser hair removal uses a dedicated laser beam to damage the hair follicle and stunt re-growth. Many companies claim to offer “permanent” hair removal services, but that is a myth. Unwanted hair will grow back in six to twelve months with this treatment.

 

Medications

While some medications can CAUSE unwanted hair, others can stop the hair from growing:

 

• Birth control pills can reduce the production of androgens
• Aldactone and Proscar are examples of two anti-androgen medications that can be prescribed by your doctor. They typically take between three and six months to work.
• Vaniqa is another prescription medicine in a cream form that can slow hair growth. However, it doesn’t remove unwanted hair that’s already grown in.

 

How to Get Rid of Facial Hair Naturally

 

If you prefer to eschew any type of chemical or modern means of removing unwanted facial hair, there is a treasure trove of natural remedies found on the internet for hair removal. Some of them are a little weird, but as long as they work, right?

 

Here are a few of the best natural facial hair removal remedies:

 

Egg White Mask

 

Egg whites are super healthy, after all! Why not put some in a paste on your face after breakfast?

 

To make the egg white face mask, crack two eggs into a bowl and funnel out the whites using your hands. Add the egg whites to a tablespoon of cornstarch and sugar. Beat the mixture until smooth. Apply the egg white mixture to your face. Leave the mask on your face for fifteen minutes or until dry. Peel the mask (and unwanted hairs) off quickly once the mask has dried. Rinse your face and repeat at least twice per week.

 

 

Sugar Wax

This sugar wax recipe might be similar to the box brands, but by making it at home, you can guarantee that the ingredients are all natural.

 

To make the sugar mask, mix eight cups of sugar, half cup of water and half a cup of lemon juice in a small saucepan. Turn on the heat until the mixture is at a boil. Once the sugar mixture has reached boiling, simmer until it is golden brown in color. Remove from heat and let cool for thirty minutes.

 

Once the sugar wax is cool, apply it to your face and let dry. After it’s dry, remove the wax and wash your face with cool water.

 

Pumice Stone

Pumice stones can do more than remove calluses from your feet. To remove facial hair, use a dry pumice stone in a circular motion on dry skin. The hairs will be removed by clinging to the stone.

 

Lavender oil and tea tree oil

 

This recipe is to lighten the color of the unwanted hair instead of removing it. One teaspoon of lavender essential oil is mixed with four drops of tea tree essential oil. The mixture is then applied to the facial hair using a cotton ball. The process should be repeated two or three times a day for three months.

 

Oatmeal and banana

 

Are we eating or are we removing facial hair?  The oatmeal and banana are used to create a paste that goes on the facial hair. The first step is mashing the bananas in a bowl and then adding two tablespoons of oatmeal. The paste mixture is applied to the face for twenty minutes before removal. Rinse your face will cool water.

 

Turmeric Hair Removal Recipes

Turmeric has been around for centuries, but it has only recently become popular for its health benefits. A plant of all trades, turmeric is also very useful in removing unwanted hair.

 

Here are a few of the different ways you can use turmeric to help remove facial hair:

 

Turmeric and Papaya

 

Papaya has an enzyme that enlarges hair follicles, which in turn inhibits hair growth. It is also, like turmeric, an exfoliating agent that will give you brighter skin.

 

The first step in making the turmeric and papaya paste is to peel raw papaya and grind it into a paste. A tablespoon of turmeric powder is added to the papaya paste. Using your hands, massage the paste over the unwanted hair growths and let it sit for twenty minutes. Wash the paste off with cold water and repeat at least twice a week.

 

Turmeric Face Scrub

 

While many turmeric pastes only remove the finer hair, this thicker paste has more success in removing stubborn, thicker facial hair. Turmeric can stain the face yellow, so it is important to remove the mask in a timely manner and wash your face in cool water.

 

The recipe for the turmeric face scrub is one teaspoon turmeric powder, two tablespoons of milk and one tablespoon of flour. The ingredients are mixed into a thick paste that is applied to facial hair for ten minutes.

 

More turmeric recipes for removing unwanted facial hair can be found here: https://alivebynature.com/turmeric-hair-removal-does-it-really-work/

 

Conclusion

 

Unwanted facial hair can be a blow to a woman’s self-esteem. Whether you prefer natural remedies or traditional ways to remove facial hair, you can regain your confidence with any of these methods. Using these facial hair removal ideas, you can say goodbye to facial hair with a terse, “Not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin.”

 

 

References

 

https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-remove-facial-hair

 

http://www.healtybeat.com/say-goodbye-to-facial-hair-for-good-these-simple-homemade-recipes/

 

https://www.allure.com/story/how-to-remove-facial-hair