Unwanted Facial Hair

Updated on January 29, 2008
K.C. asks from Columbus, OH
18 answers

I am at wits end with my icky unwanted facial hair! I am constantly in the mirror tweezing and sometimes digging out ingrown hairs. It started 5 yrs ago during my 1 st. pregnancy. I started a patch of "peach fuzz" under my chin. I was told that hormones can cause this and will probably go away after the pregnancy. I waxed it, and it was gone! Then with my 2nd pregnancy it came back with a vengance and has not gone away. The hairs are course now and on my chin along with being under my chin. My Dr. said waxing was my only alternative. This is not good...it is not in my budget to get a waxing every 3wks it seems. I am wondering if any of you have any experience with this and could it possibly be a hormone problem?

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K.M.

answers from Cleveland on

me too. I get the sally hansen wax strips at cvs and do it myself. It stinks, but I don't think it's going away! Good luck!!

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M.F.

answers from Detroit on

Well, I do have experience with unwanted facial hair. Only my experience is not due to hormones...it's due to being 100% Italian! I have had this problem since before puberty so I can relate to what you are feeling. Get a prefessional wax warmer at Sally Beauty Supply (or other store like it) Read below for my little story and more info. Best thing I ever did for myself!

I used to shave it in my youth (but I didn't know any better), I even tried bleaching creams and hair removal creams like Nair but they just turned my face red for a week (looked like a kool-aid mustache!) then I got a job at a salon and was intruduced to the wonderful world of waxing. It really is the next best thing to laser hair removal. Only you have to let it grow out before you can wax it! The good thing about waxing is that after so many times the hair folicle stops working as well, resulting in thinner hair. In many cases the hair will stop growing all together. This doesn't mean that all of it will stop but some of it will. I wax way less now than I did three years ago. If you can afford laser removal I would look into it fast. I hear great things.

After I got married and moved away from all the free waxing a girl could ask for I decided to get my own wax kit. Sure you can go to the grocery store and get the microwavable wax, but it doesn't work as well as the salon wax.

Go to Sally Beauty supply and tell them you want a wax warmer and all the stuff that comes along with it. They'll help you out. I purchased a small wax warmer for around $20 or so. Then you get a can of wax that fits your warmer, some wax strips, and applicator sticks and you are all set. Your own little spa right there in the bathroom! There are other things you can get such as wax remover for those sticky bits that are left and soothing gel. I just use baby oil or extra virgin olive oil to remove any wax residue.

It's really easy to do at home. Just be sure to research it before you actually do it. You can find sites that tell you step by step how to wax certain body parts. And don't get all daring and try to wax your legs and bikini, these things take time to get used to. If you do get daring just be sure to apply in very small increments. You don't want to wax up your entire leg only to find that you can't bare the pain of ripping off the strip! I waxed part of one leg and I haven't been able to do it again...however some of that hair doesn't grow back any more. And I was so smooth for weeks!!! Maybe some day I'll do it again.

Anyway, I would deffinately recommend your own wax warmer. It saves you money and you can do it whenever you have time. No appointments. The wax lasts a long time too because it's just you who is using it.

Oh, one more thing. Make sure you follow all instructions that come with your warmer and wax so you don't burn yourself!

Hope this helps!

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S.S.

answers from Dayton on

Whatever you do, Do NOT SHAVE. You will have a beard in 10 years. I have the same problem with my chin and I can get obsessed. My suggestion is never look in the mirror of your car on a sunny day or you'll freak out about all the hairs you have. Also, I think a waxing kit is a good idea because it seems like when your hair comes back in it's less course. Anyone I have ever met that have used nair or shaved have extremely course hair now and it's a lot thicker. Good Luck and let me know if you find a solution....

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A.R.

answers from Toledo on

I have the same problem! I picked up a tube of Nair -- the 'sensitive' type especially made for facial hair -- and smear it all over my chin (and under my chin) once a week (whether I see one hair or several). I leave it on probably 8 minutes. This works well. I still find the occasional stray, which I pluck out with pointed tweezers.

Hope this helps!

A. R.

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B.B.

answers from Cincinnati on

I don't know if its "normal" or not... I do know that all the women in my family struggle with it because we all have dark hair and medium complexions. My sisters and I are big fans of Laser treatment. Its quick and easy and lasts for a LONG time, if not forever. I do my chin and bikini about once a year for maintainence purposes. I go to "Radiant" in Blue Ash. Check them out because I think your first visit is free. Good Luck!

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M.L.

answers from Cincinnati on

I am a SAH granny of 63 years and if you think facial hair is a problem now, wait until you are my age (which, is of course stupid advice since you HAVE to wait to get to my age) but anyway...get a home waxing kit...the kind that heats in the micro for tuff "beards" and you can use the press on by Sally Hansen (Hanson?)which removes most of a mustache. Who ever thought we would stop having cramps, bloating,ovulation,giant blood clots the size of Maine, swollen breasts, headaches, and hideous underwear just to go right into sweating like hogs with beards that have to be ripped from our faces that have been pampered with eons of expensive creams and lotions! Granny Mad

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M.E.

answers from Lexington on

they are at home waxing kits that you can buy at walmart...or is there a beauty school in your area you can go too. i have my brows waxed at our local beauty school and the girls do a great job and it's a fraction of the cost of going to a salon. or you could save up your $ for a while and go have electrolisis...but it costs several hundred $ per area

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M.W.

answers from Cleveland on

It is NOT normal. It IS hormone related. You can test "within range" and still not have it be the right level for you. Blood tests for hormones are NOT as accurate as saliva testing. Most doctors do not even know about saliva testing which is sad. Doctors are not perfect though and some don't take the time to find out what is new in their field of medicine. Get your hormones tested. If your estrogen is high then your body wants to produce more androgens (testosterone is one) to help balance that out. If you are over weight then more than likely your estrogen is high because it is produced in the fat cells and not just the ovaries. The female body is complex and has many enter working systems. Having a baby messes with your hormones and sometimes it take help to get back into a good working order. To say that this is a simple problem is an understatement. Lots of times these things can take time to get to the bottom of and you might have to start doing your own research and educate your doctor too. Things like not getting enough sleep, stress and nerves can throw off your hormone balance. If you lived in Cleveland I would recommend a great female doctor who is up to date on this kind of thing and does saliva testing. I wish you the best of luck.

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L.H.

answers from Cleveland on

K., I had that too! Try grey ones! ewww! Anyhow, I went to a dermatologist, she took a blood test and said that I have a few to much"male homones". There is a medication for it that is only a 3 month treatment. Hope I helped! L.

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S.C.

answers from Columbus on

An expensive, but maybe more permanent, solution would be to laser it, but I don't know much about that. :( An extremely cheap ,and easy to keep up, method...although some women may seriously think I'm crazy, is to just shave it off. If its just a little, then you could do that every day with your normal beauty routines...but my facial hair is really soft and not course...so it doesn't seem to be very obvious. But, I don't think there's anything wrong with grooming like a man!!! It can't hurt, can it?

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T.S.

answers from Cincinnati on

Well I know someone said that this isn't normal....but it is...and I talked to my GYN about it and they tested me and I am fine. All my levels were normal. With my first pregancy I thought it was because I was carrying a boy....but with my second pregnacy I was carrying my daughter and the hair still came. I have a lot of peach fuzz.....I have a few hairs that are coarse...they are black or gray! but the blonde peach fuzz is every where.... :O( I hate it....but I just leave it be. No waxing no shaving nothing....I am afraid it will come back thicker.....I just wanted you to know that is is Normal!
Good luck....if you find anything that helps pass the wisdom on!

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J.H.

answers from Cleveland on

HI K.-
I have a hormone problem and I have done Electrolysis for many years and it has help. Waxing I found it didn't work and just made it worse. I know that Electrolysis is expensive, but it really works. Waxing was like throwing money out the window because it really doesn't help the problem it actually makes it worse. Electrolysis gets down to the root and kills it. It sounds painful, but there are creams that you can get to numb that area before you go in. I would check in your area most of them are women who had had it done on them and they usually are very nice. Make sure that if you do go they use a new needle and wear gloves. Every where I have been I have had wonderful experience. If you need anything else let me know! :)
Good Luck!
Jaime

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L.B.

answers from Louisville on

Coarse, heavy facial hair can be a sign of hormone imbalance, or polysystic ovarian sydrome which is treatable. You need some blood work to check hormone levels and maybe an ultrasound of your ovaries. This is NOT normal. Call your gyn and ask to have these done. from an RN and a mom

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J.H.

answers from Lexington on

This is a proble I have faced for the better part of my life. And yes much worse during pregnancy (on my 4th progo right now). I try to wax and pluck in between. They do have home wax kits at say Wal-Mart or other drug stores. I don't think they work very well though. Look around, maybe you can find someone who does waxing cheaper.
Good luck!

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T.P.

answers from Canton on

PCOS often times causes unwanted facial hair. Do some research on it to see if you fit some of the other symptoms. If you do, your doctor might be able to help you out.

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T.S.

answers from Lexington on

K.,
ou can purchase a waxing kit from a beauty supply house. What you would pay for 1 service at a salon will pay for the kit and you will get many uses out of it. I got those brown patches when I was pregnant with my first, they went away afterwards. they came back with my second pregnancy and have never gone away. Just one of those things :(

T.
www.livetotalwellness.com/T.
www.workathomeunited.com/T.

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J.G.

answers from Dayton on

I have the same problem. I buy Sally Hansen wax strips at Walmart or Walgreens. It's easy. You just warm it in your palms and do it. Much cheaper than salons. I did buy a wax machine many years ago that you rolled on the wax but I thought it was too messy. The strips work almost as well as a salon. I do treat myself to a salon 2 or 3 times a year. SInce you tweezed them, they care now course, so try not to tweeze any new ones. ALso, when I saw an OB specialist when we thought I couldn't get pregnant, when we were discussing hormones, he suggested that I did have too many male hormones and mentioned that he could prescribe soemthing for that after the pregnancy, but I never followed through with it. Maybe it's a good question for your OB, not your regular doctor. Hope this helps!

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K.D.

answers from Cleveland on

YES it could be hormonal! I know a bunch of ladies that use (including me but for other reasons) a natural balancing cream. My OBGYN even recommends it to women! It a progestrone cream. www.passion4more.myarbonne.com is my site to check it out.. I do have a drs article all about it. I would love to send it to you to read over and then hear your thoughts. ____@____.com just let me know and I will email it over. It also helps many many other things jsut a couple examples are PMS, Menopause, Depression, migrains, low sex drive and tons more. If anyone wants it email me and I will send it right over to check it out. This is helping women so much I am thinking every women needs it! LOL

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