Thick Facial Hair - Help!

A

amanda12485

Guest
I have dark thick facial hair on my chin, jawline and upperlip. Has anyone ever found anything that worked really well at stopping or inhibiting growth. I shave now but it is every day I have to this and embarassing. Anything that has worked would help.
 
I get mine waxed and it's very slow growing back. I think the only thing which would inhibit growth is laser.
 
Amanda, have you been tested to see if you have polycystic ovary syndrome? I think that is what it is called and I *think* excessive facial hair on women is a symptom. Stay tuned for those in the know to correct me if I am wrong. :)
 
I have had the upper lip since i was little, but the chin and jawline i noticed about 6-7 years ago, would that still be a symptom of that syndrome?
 
I'm interested in the responses you get... about the laser, I read that if the hair is hormonal related, or PCOS the laser might not be as effective and hair will have a good chance of growing back. I've been waxing and tweezing for a few years, I read waxing is supposed to eventually weaken the hair root, but the hair still grows back fast within a couple of weeks, has not grown in finer or lighter...so I wonder if laser would even work 100% for me.
 
Do NOT shave!
Either try an Emjoi epilator, that rips the hairs out at the roots, or threading ( www.facialhairthreading.com).

Removing hair from the roots means that when it grows back, it's as a fine end first (which is less noticeable than the stump that is cut off mid-hair shaft from shaving). Also, many people find that regrowth is not as thick, especially after you've done it for a while.

If the hair is still too noticeable when it grows back (and is too short for either of the rooot-removal methods---though I find that the threading tool--which I use on my upper lip and chin area--removes even very fine, short hair)

There are also hair-growth inhibitors that you can try, after using one of the root-removal methods.
 
Hi Kathryn, I have to disagree, my experience with waxing and epilators over the years have not made my hair grow in any finer, when it does grow back it is still rough, almost stubble. I know I'm removing most of the hair by the roots because when I wax I can see the white bulbs. The problem with the waxing or the epilator is hair has to be long enough to pull out, so I have to deal with the hair till it grows long enough or if it I really need to be hair free and smooth for a special occasion, shaving is the way to go. I'm just doomed for being hairy until one day I can cough up the guts and money for laser.

have you used that threading gadget? Does it really work on shorter and finer hairs? Seems too good to be true..but if you approve I might give it a try!
 
I've never tried this, but maybe it's worth a shot:

http://www.vaniqa.com/

VANIQA® is the only prescription product approved by the FDA and clinically proven to reduce the growth of unwanted facial hair in women. VANIQA works by slowing the growth of hair rather than just removing it. Many women will see results within 4 to 8 weeks when used twice a day every day but for some women it may take longer. With VANIQA, you'll feel confident that people won't notice your UFH, even when you're up close
 
I would def go to the doctor to see if you have any hormone issues. Also, I've heard good things about Vaniqua. Laser may take several visits, but if you have the money and time and a light complexion, it may be worth it.

Sometimes waxing, threading, epilating, can cause skin irritations, particularly if the hair is that thick. When the hair bulb is being ripped out, it leaves an opening in the skin which is susceptible to infection. This is why one should never tweeze nose hair.

If you must shave for now, I'd use one of those little power trimmer thingies sold at the drugstore for $10.
 
I found this on the internet, I hope this may help.

Facial Hair
My daughter is a 17 year old healthy teenager. Her problem is excessive facial and body hair. But at the same time she is losing her hair on her head at an alarming rate. Her facial hair has gotten much worse within the last several months. We are doing electrolysis but it is not helping her. Can you please advise us?
When a woman has excessive facial or body hair it is a condition called hirsutism. Hirsutism either runs in the family, showing itself in growth spurts at menopause and puberty, or it is an indicator of a larger underlying problem. If it is hereditary it is largely a cosmetic rather than health concern. When it is not hereditary it is most probably the result of excessive male hormone production (adrenal virilism), or an increased sensitivity of the hair follicle to normal male hormone levels. It is important to both a woman's health and her self-confidence to have this condition diagnosed by a doctor. Hirsutism, and any hormone imbalance that may underlie this condition can be treated.
Every woman's body produces both "male" and "female" hormones, which act in balance. If it is indeed a hormone imbalance that is the root cause of a woman's hirsutism, a doctor will determine the source of the overproduction of male hormones and suggest a course of treatment that targets that source. An underlying hormonal problem might have larger consequences than just hair growth and any treatment of the hair growth alone will only act as a response to the symptom, not the cause itself.
Some of the symptoms that indicate if a woman's hair growth is tied to a hormonal imbalance are the following: 1) irregular menstruation 2) obesity 3) deepening of the voice 4) decreased breast size, and 5) baldness. If a woman experiences a sudden worsening of her hirsutism, or first experiences hair growth after 25 years of age, it may be an androgen-producing tumor which is the source of hormonal imbalance. Androgen-producing tumors usually show symptoms over months rather than years, and are only found in women on the ovaries or adrenal gland. Typically women with hirsutism begin to have symptoms in their teens and early twenties, and their symptoms get worse gradually with age. Hormonal imbalances can be brought on by the use of oral contraceptives, the onset of menopause, or problems in the adrenal or pituitary glands.
Most cases of hirsutism that are related to hormone imbalance can be treated through hormone therapy, or in the case of a tumor, through surgery. The condition itself, excessive facial and/or body hair, can be managed. Electrolysis is a popular means to managing excess facial hair, but there are also laser procedures that are said to be less painful. A woman might consider bleaching her facial hair, which makes it less visible. All of these methods should be used as means to treating the symptom, but any woman with progressing hirsutism should consult a doctor for a diagnosis in order not to compromise her health, or her self-confidence.



Let us know how it goes.


Janie
 
I have gotten electroylsis on my lip, chin, eyebrows, bikini line, & underarms. It has worked great but you have to be patient with it. It takes a long time. And the lip can be painful. Good luck
chrissy
 
I know your pain!

Amanda, have you been tested to see if you have polycystic ovary syndrome? I think that is what it is called and I *think* excessive facial hair on women is a symptom. Stay tuned for those in the know to correct me if I am wrong. :)

Yep! Thats the one! Its a simple hormone test. You want to know what your testosterone level is, your insulin level (fasting glucose) and also your FSH (follicle stimulating hormone.) This is a condition that I believe I have had since I was little. I too get the facial hair. The laser hair removal does work, it hurts, and is expensive. It works best on dark hair on light skinned people. Waxing is the next best alternative. After that, using a hair bleach is the least painful but the hair is still there. I shave. I don't want to run the risk of somebody seeing something and shouting at me to leave the ladies room again. :eek:
 
Janie!

I think your daughter has PCOS! The hair loss on the top of the head is normal for a woman with PCOS. Please see my other post for the right tests to get. Also, just google PCOS. There is a great book on how to deal with this.

1. Don't panic.
2. See a gynecologist preferably one that is familiar with the syndrome.
3. They will probably prescribe metformin or glucophage.
4. She will be advised to go on a low carbohydrate diet to lower her insulin levels.
5. There are some things she can take. I'm not a doctor. But, this is what i take: saw palmetto (testosterone blocker otc often used by men to lower testosterone levels for their prostate) evening primrose oil (capsule, helps with blood sugar/feminizes) cardio exercise (helps with insulin receptors.)
6. Get her the laser hair removal if you can afford it, this is so important to her sense of self. Get her a hair piece too. That matters. Walking past a mirror and seeing what looks like a dude looking back at you is demoralizing and extremely depressing. I had the hair thinning at 16 years old. The doctors told me that my hair was ok. I used to have two thick pony tails that I couldn't hold with each hand. I'm down to a 1/4 of that.
She may also get acne and

NO SOY! She is probably estrogen dominant. I am. We estrogen dominant girls produce excess estrogen and absorb too much also. The excess is converted into testosterone.

Excess insulin behaves like testosterone. That is what creates the symptoms.

The insulin is no longer being taken into her cells. The receptors are not working right anymore. Thats why going on a low carb diet has been so effective for so many of us. We stop giving our bodies foods that require insulin to absorb.

The other problem with insulin is that it is a storage hormone. When it is in the blood stream it shuttles food into fat cells. She may be fighting fat that is around her middle. Poor thing. :(
 
have you used that threading gadget? Does it really work on shorter and finer hairs? Seems too good to be true..but if you approve I might give it a try!
Yep, I use it around my mouth, where there are fine, light hairs (which maybe no one else would notice, but I'm freaky that way: I like a perfectly hairless face. It even catches some very short hairs that grow under my lips (that the epilator doesn't even seem to 'recognize')
 

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