All women have light-coloured body and facial hair.
Around 10 per cent of women battle the problem of extensive, coarse and dark facial hair growth.
The unwanted hair growth in females is mainly caused due to hormonal or genetic disorder, stress, prescription drugs, higher than normal levels of male hormones in the body or a combination of various such factors. Beauty expert Shahnaz Husain tells you how to tackle the problem.
All women produce male hormones called testosterone, but higher than normal levels increases sex drive, affects menstrual cycle and produces excess facial and body hair.
The excess growth of hair on neck, chin, upper lips, cheeks or forehead can be frustrating and embarrassing calling for medical intervention or surgery like laser treatment, bleaching, waxing or shaving.
There are many easy and safe methods to remove facial hair though it may take some time to show results. Natural treatments are the best. Coarse and thick growth of hair, especially on the face, presents quite a problem, where beauty is concerned. All women are troubled by it because it detracts from femininity. Where removal of facial hair is concerned, it falls into two categories — temporary and permanent. The method should be chosen according to quantity or thickness of hair, its location and rate of growth. It is also essential to get information about the advantages and disadvantages of the various methods.
Temporary hair removal, as the term suggests, requires repeated treatments, as and when there is regrowth. Methods such as depilation, shaving, tweezing, threading, waxing, epilation, come under the temporary category. Several hair removal creams are available, which contain chemical ingredients to dissolve hair. However, chemical hair removal creams can sometimes cause skin discolouration (dark patches) and should preferably be avoided on the face, especially on the upper lip area, which is particularly sensitive. Needless to say, a hair removing cream should be patch-tested before use. This is done by applying it on the inner arm. If there is a reaction within 10 to 15 minutes, it should not be used.
An effective and common facial hair removal method is threading. It is useful for shaping eyebrows and also for removal of facial hair on areas like the upper lip and chin.
There may be slight redness after threading, which reduces in a day. It is a popular method of hair removal. Tweezing is another method, where one hair is removed at a time. It is a suitable method for shaping the eyebrows, or to remove solitary hairs from the chin area, or eyebrows. It can also be used to remove any solitary hair after threading. However, a word of caution — hair from a mole must not be removed without consulting a doctor.
Waxing can also be used for facial hair removal. Soft, strip waxing is useful. Roll on waxing kits are also available. It is said to be a breakthrough technology that may be used for facial hair. It is easy to use and hygienic. The results are also said to be long-lasting. This relatively new method has a roll-on applicator, which is placed in a device that heats the product, but at a low temperature. It is then rolled on the area and removed with a strip. It is said to be useful in removal of short facial hair.
Hair removal by laser is becoming increasingly popular as a permanent method. Laser produces an intense beam of light, which is absorbed by the hair follicles. The laser disables the hair follicle’s ability to produce hair. The heat produced by the laser light is controlled by the operator.
A strong laser light leads to more heat. That is why cooling devices are used to prevent damage to the rest of the skin. The advantage of laser is that the laser light can scan broader areas. Therefore, fewer sessions may be required. It should be done under supervision of a doctor. The temporary known side effects are redness, swelling and itching.
The main risk in laser treatment is the possibility of skin burns due to excessive heat of the laser light.
Regrowth occurs in some cases, but is slower and scantier. It is very important to find a good laser clinic. It is an expensive procedure. Laser can be used to remove hair from the entire face, or from particular areas, like upper lips, chin or cheeks. The time taken for the actual treatment is not much. As regrowth may occur, one may have to repeat the treatment after four or five months.
