Facial hair is completely normal as everyone, both men and women, have it. However, excess hair on a woman’s face can be the byproduct of a genetic disorder as well as other health indications. It goes without saying that the site of excess facial hair on a woman’s face can feel very frustrating to some women.

Some common reasons that women have more hair on their face than normal correlate to things like PCOS as well as menopause. Women of any age can experience PCOS which affects women as early as early teenage years. In short, PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome , is a hormonal disorder which results in small ovarian cysts and enlarged ovaries.

There are genetic and environmental causes for PCOS. Women with PCOS typically have a significant amount of testosterone in comparison with their estrogen levels. This results in more production of facial hair and body hair overall. Foods with hormones added can impact these levels as well. As for older women experiencing menopause, much of the same can be said as estrogen levels decline during in the early stages of menopause. As frustrating as it may be, there are a few methods of removing facial hair. The following tips will show how to get rid of facial hair on women.

Shaving

When is comes to the question of how to get rid of facial hair on women, most women usually think about the common option of shaving. Although there have been many misconceptions with shaving a woman’s face, it can be very effective if done properly. In this case, shaving is all about the technique. It is one of the more faster options undoubtedly, but great results will only be obtained if using the right steps. A face shave can be done with a razor or a level setter razor. The level setter razor works really well for removing peach fuzz.

When using a razor on the face, make sure it is cleaned with alcohol as well as the area being shaved. Exfoliate the face and soften dead skin cells. After rinsing the face with warm water and opening the pores, dry the face with a clean towel. Apply a shaving cream or gel with aloe vera as aloe has cooling and soothing properties. Using a razor, preferably a three blade razor, taut the skin and shave in the opposite direction of hair growth. Be careful around the lip area. Rinse the face with cool water, dry, and moisturize. Shaving is not painful whatsoever when done correctly and results last around one to three weeks.

Dermaplaning

Dermaplaning is a completely safe procedure when done properly. It is advised to get this treatment done by a professional so that you do not nick and cut your skin by accident. A dermaplaning session is much like shaving except a razor is not usually used on the skin. A medical grade scalpel is actually used for this procedure. As grimacing as it may sound, it is actually not painful or intrusive to the skin at all.

The scalpel is just used to scrape the vellus hairs ( peach fuzz), facial hairs, and dead skin cells off the surface. There are many benefits to dermaplaning such as the reduction of fine lines and an overall smoother skin appearance. The results are not permanent as it is a treatment and requires more consistent treatments. However, the results can last anywhere from three weeks up to a month.

Tweezing

Tweezing is a popular way to get rid of facial hair. Formerly and even today, tweezers have been used to extract hair around the brown line to give the brows a more defined appearance. However, the same method can be done to hairs around the face. There is a major difference between shaving and tweezing hair. Many women experience a shadow when their hair begins to grow back after shaving. Also, with shaving, you are simply trimming the hair down.

Tweezing requires that the hair is pulled out of the skin from the root. This is why the effects of tweezing lasts much longer than that of shaving the hair. This is a quick and more semi-permanent alternative to removing the facial hair. You will want to soften the skin with a warm wash cloth and then isolate whatever hairs you want to get rid of. Hold your skin taut so that you can pluck one strand at a time. This method is good for straggly hairs that are few and far between. The process will only need to be done every 2 weeks or as needed. Hair in the surrounding area eventually stops growing back in many cases.

Waxing

Another way to extract unwanted hairs from the root is waxing. Although waxing damages the hair follicles, it does diminish the growth of hair in that area being waxed. There are wax strips, wax masks, and even wax peels that you just peel off after it dries. Waxing is a better option to use if you want to get more coverage for the face. While tweezing uproots individual pieces of hair, waxing removes a larger portion of hair from the roots with one or two peels after application. This method is not recommended for those with low pain tolerance. If waxing, women should wax every two weeks for starters and dial it down when noticeable results are acquired.

Waxing can be done at home or at a professional in a spa. Many waxes are reusable which makes it a very economical option too. Simply, peel the wax and melt it back for another application. Before waxing, you want to ice the are for about 30 minutes prior to applying the wax gel to soothe the area and reduce pain. Then, wash and exfoliate your face to remove dirt and dead skin cells. Make sure the face is completely dry before putting on the wax. Stretching the skin a bit, you want to apply the wax in the direction of growth and pull off against the grain after the wax has dried onto the skin. A soothing balm may be used as a topical treatment after the process is complete to avoid skin irritation.

Epilator

An epilator is a device used specifically to yank small hairs out the root much like tweezers and waxing. Whereas waxing can be messy and tweezing may take more time, an epilator grabs more hair from the root and also deeply cleanses the skin’s pores. While shaving the face can be very dangerous, an epilator is more precise in its extraction processes.

The epilator is an electrical device made of up several small tweezers within a rotating head. The results of this device usually last up to a full month which makes it an effective semi-permanent way to get rid of facial hair. Less hair grows back in the treated location and the hair that does grow back is much finer and softer. To use an epilator, softly exfoliate the skin before each and every session. Pull the skin taut so that it is less painful to remove the hairs. You want to slowly trace the epilator over the area of hair you’re removing to that the tweezers can pick up the hair. And, apply a soothing gel or cream to the face afterwards to reduce redness.

Threading

To reduce the appearance of facial hair, threading is a method that lasts two to six weeks without spotting any re-growth of hair. When hair regrows, it is sparse and finer in texture. What is threading? Threading is a technique that uses a piece of thread made out of polyester or cotton. This piece of thread is doubled and twisted to create friction to uproot the hair from the skin. Many women today go to professional beauty parlors and salons to get their eyebrows threaded. It leaves them with a very defined and sharp cut appearance. This treatment usually takes around five minutes to do. The same can be done with the face and it typically will take fifteen to twenty minutes for a full face thread. The results are very much worth is and pretty long-lasting. It is recommended to get this done at a professional to avoid severely pinching the skin.

Chemical Depilatory

A chemical depilatory is a chemical used to soften and dissolve the hair so that it breaks away and can be removed very easily. Nair is a popular chemical depilatory as many women and men have used the cream on their bodies to remove hair. There are creams specifically made for the removal of facial hairs with less intrusive chemicals as the face has a much more sensitive region of skin. There are many chemical depilatory creams that dissolve the hair at the root giving you long lasting results. Surgi-Cream, Nair, and Olay have several facial hair removal chemical depilatories that offer really great results. Another great thing about the chemical depilatory creams is that they are completely painless. All that you have to do is exfoliate the face, rinse, dry, apply the cream, wait about ten to fifteen minutes, and softly remove with a wipe. You can get this treatment done at a spa or you can do this at home using a depilatory kit or cream.

Natural DIY Facial Masks/ Peels

If you are not too particular about putting a chemical on the face, there are also many natural DIY facial masks and peels that help remove facial hair. Below are some natural ingredients and recipes to use in creating your hair removal peels.

Papaya and Turmeric Mask

Get a half a teaspoon of turmeric powder, three tablespoons of aloe vera gel, and two teaspoons of papaya paste. Mix well. Before application, use an exfoliate to remove dead skin cells from the face and soften the skin. Rinse with lukewarm water. Apply the mixture of papaya and turmeric to the face with the skin is taut. Apply the mixture going against the direction of hair growth. Leave this concoction on for approximately twenty to thirty minutes or until it is fully dry. Then, you will remove the mask by rubbing it in the opposite direction of hair growth. Rinse the remainder of the mask off with cool water afterwards. The turmeric in this mask has anti inflammatory properties which also reduces puffiness in the face as well as combats hyper pigmentation. The skin will look much more even in complexion and more defined in tone. The aloe vera gel acts as a moisturizer and coolant to remedy any potential skin irritations or dry skin.

Honey and Lemon Peel

Use the juice of one fresh lemon and mix it with one tablespoon of honey. When a paste consistency is acquired, you will then want to apply the mixture and let it dry on the face for ten to fifteen minutes. Lemon acts as a natural lightening agent due to its bleaching properties. This will lighten peach fuzz or any unwanted hair on the face. The honey should have a consistency much like wax and will be peeled off in the opposite direction of hair growth. The honey will also work on loosening the hair at its root for easy extraction. This process may be a little uncomfortable during the removal, but it is completely natural with only two ingredients to make the recipe. If some facial hair still persists after one treatment, exfoliate the face another time with a scrub and the remainder of facial hair will come out. This is a treatment so several applications may be needed.

When it comes to how to get rid of facial hair on women, there are many misconceptions of what should be done or should not be done. The truth is that it comes down to using the appropriate techniques. Some of the remedies and treatments listed above will be best utilized when done by a certified aesthetician or professional. There are plenty of options for women who want to get rid of those pesky strands of facial hair ranging from semi-permanent treatments to natural removal remedies. These methods will alleviate the frustration one may be having regarding their excess facial hair as well as any insecurities they may be experiencing as result.