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All humans have fine hair on their faces that is thinner than scalp hair. Genetically, men have thicker follicles above the lips called moustaches and on the chin called a beard. Females do have hair in these places, but almost invisible. With age and hormonal imbalance, the hair becomes denser and visible, especially on the chin, upper lips, side of cheeks and forehead.

Let us learn some of the common factors that contribute to this male-pattern hair growth:

Facial Hair Growth May Cause:

  • Puberty or adolescence in girls – can lead to a sudden hormonal imbalance.
  • Shaving of facial hair – it is also believed that shaving of hair can thicken follicles and lead to ingrown hair.
  • Hirsutism, in which Stiff body hair occurs due to high androgen levels.
  • The thyroid affects hormone production in the body and leads to excessive hair growth.
  • PCOS – Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (1), a hormonal disorder in the body.

How to Remove Facial Hair?

Here are two options to get rid of unwanted facial hair – Home remedies and External treatments.

Home Remedies | Treatments

While home remedies are mainly free from side effects and easy to prepare, they may deliver ineffective results on the first attempt. On the other hand, treatments like laser and threading are instant but may damage your skin’s surface. However, its good to know about both these options to make a suitable decision for you:

Home Remedies to Remove Facial Hair:

Lemon and Sugar | Banana and Oatmeal | Honey and Apricot | Lavender Oil and Tea Tree Oil | Orange Peel and Oatmeal

Here are some natural home methods to eliminate facial hair removal using simple, everyday ingredients. With regular usage, these procedures can slow down hair growth and eventually reduce the need for further operations.

1. Lemon Juice and Sugar:

The combination of Lemon juice and sugar is one of the sure-shot methods for removing fine hair. Sugar is a natural exfoliant. Rubbing it on your skin can clear dirt and impurities and remove the strands from their roots. Adding lemon can work as a natural bleach to lighten hair’s colour and make it invisible. Here’s how to use it:

Ingredients:
  • Sugar – 2tbsp.
  • Lemon Juice – 2 tbsp.
  • Water- 8 tbsp.

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes.

Directions:
  • Take a pan and mix lemon juice, sugar and water.
  • Now heat it and boil until bubbles appear.
  • Stir the mixture continuously.
  • Once the mixture thickens, turn off the heat.
  • Using a spatula, apply the mix evenly to your skin.
  • Leave it on for 20 minutes.
  • Using circular movements, wash the mixture with cold water.
  • Do this once or twice a month.

2. Banana Oatmeal to Remove Facial Hair:

The combo of Oatmeal and Banana is not just a great breakfast but also an excellent hair removal solution. The smooth texture of banana pulp and the exfoliant nature of oatmeal can give you naturally smooth and hair-free facial skin. Also, this method suits even dry and sensitive skins, as both the ingredients are highly skin-friendly.

Ingredients:
  • Oatmeal Powder– ½tbsp.
  • Banana Pulp – 2 tbsp.

Preparation Time: 5 Minutes.

Directions:
  • Mix all the ingredients to form a coarse paste.
  • Apply it to the desired areas and leave it in for 15 minutes.
  • Using your fingers, gently scrub the area while washing the mixture.
  • Rinse the pack with water and follow it with a moisturiser.
  • Do this twice or thrice a week.

3. Honey and Apricot:

You must have already understood the benefits of honey for facial skin removal. Adding apricot powder to it makes it a good scrub to eliminate the hair gently without damaging the skin. You can either use readymade apricot powder or make it fresh at home using dried apricots. This nutrition-rich mixture also nourishes your skin and evens out the texture.

Ingredients:
  • Apricot Powder – 1tbsp.
  • Honey – 1 tbsp.

Preparation Time: 2 Minutes.

Directions:
  • Combine the ingredients to form a thick paste.
  • Spread it evenly on the affected area.
  • Leave it on for 15-20 minutes.
  • Using circular movements, gently scrub away the hair.
  • Rinse with water and follow it with a moisturiser.
  • Do this twice or thrice a month.

4. Lavender and Tea Tree Oil:

According to a study, women affected by mild Hirsutism can try a combination of Lavender and Tea tree oil to delay hair growth (2). This very gentle and safe treatment suits almost any skin type. It is believed that these two plant-based oils have an anti-androgenic activity to counteract the effect of androgens or male sex hormones. Along with a reduction in hair thickness, the mixture can also slow down facial hair re-growth.

Ingredients:
  • Lavender oil – 1 teaspoon.
  • Tea Tree Oil – 4-5 drops.

Preparation Time: 4 Minutes.

Directions:
  • Take a bowl and combine the oils.
  • Apply it to the affected area.
  • Do not wash.
  • Use it 2-3 times a day.
  • Do this every day for a few months.

5. Orange Peel and Oatmeal:

Oatmeal and orange peel mixture is a simple yet effective home remedy for getting rid of facial fuzz. Orange peel is a deep cleansing agent, which can even remove very fine hair on your upper lips and chin. Its skin whitening properties can lighten unwanted hair’s appearance and make it unnoticeable. Oatmeal works as a natural exfoliant to give you smooth, hair-free skin.

Ingredients:
  • Orange Peel Powder – 1 tbsp.
  • Oatmeal Powder – 1 tbsp.

Preparation Time: 5 Minutes.

Directions:
  • Combine the ingredients in a bowl.
  • Add a little water to form a thick paste.
  • Apply it on areas like the upper lip, and chin in an even layer.
  • Leave it for 20 minutes.
  • Once dry, use circular movements to remove hair from the opposite direction.
  • Rinse with water and apply moisturiser.
  • Do this two to three times a week.

Back to Top

Parlour Treatments To Remove Facial Hair:

Threading | Waxing | Laser Treatment | Epilators | Hair Removal Cream | Pluckers and Tweezers

Let’s be very honest here! You have a party coming up in the next 1-2 days, and the fuzz on your face is worrying you. There is no way to visit a parlour at such times, as home methods are too much effort and give you slow results. These are the three popular methods of facial hair removal available at a salon, which are instantly effective:

1. Facial Threading:


Image Source: Shutterstock

Whether for your eyebrow shaping or upper lip hair removal, threading is the most sought-after treatment in a parlour. It involves a sharp thread the beautician skilfully moves to pluck the strands from their roots. Even full facial threading can be done in 20-25 minutes and gives a clean finish.

Pros:
  • Inexpensive treatment.
  • Almost every parlour offers this service.
  • It can remove even small follicles to give you smooth skin.
  • You can see the results immediately.
Cons:
  • Very painful, especially on the upper lip and chin areas.
  • It can lead to bumps, redness and even cuts if not done well.
  • This may lead to slight discolouration of skin in the long run.
  • Chances of infections are high if the thread is not clean.

2. Facial Waxing:


This is a quick way to remove facial hair, especially on the side of the cheeks and upper lips. Soft wax is applied as an even layer on the affected areas. Using a strip, the hair is pulled out in the opposite direction to reveal smooth skin. However, waxing is not recommended for people with acne-prone or sensitive skin, as it can take off the top layer of your skin and result in bleeding.

Pros:
  • Instant method and takes less than 10 minutes.
  • Not very expensive.
  • Waxing is known to give finer hair in future.
  • The effect lasts for at least 4-6 weeks.
Cons:
  • Extremely painful and can lead to skin tenderness.
  • Hair needs to grow a minimum of 1cm to support waxing.
  • It may lead to skin allergies and patchy skin.
  • If waxing is not done correctly, you may end up with bleeding skin and ingrown hair in the future.

3. Laser Treatments:


Image Source: Shutterstock

If you want to skip going to parlours now and then, Laser hair removal may be the right option. The semi-permanent method can reduce the frequency of hair growth and is less painful than waxing and threading. In this process, the hair follicles are destroyed by sending a laser ray into the cells. After a few sittings, you can notice that the hair becomes very fine and almost has zero visibility.

A 2003 Study Showed that 71% of patients were satisfied with their treatment.

Pros:
  • Drastic reduction in hair growth after a few treatments.
  • You need not worry about frequent visits to parlours.
  • Doesn’t give you excruciating pain.
  • Safe on the facial area (if done by a trained professional).
Cons:
  • Not an overnight treatment.
  • Extremely tedious process and involves multiple sittings.
  • Very expensive treatment.
  • It would help if you got it done only at a licensed place. Else the results can be very damaging.
  • It may not work well for darker skin tones.

4. Epilators:


Brands like Braun and Philips have very good facial epilators to remove even small and fine hair. They are easy to operate, travel-friendly and even suitable for sensitive skin. You can buy them online or even try them at a store before you make a call.

5. Hair Removal Cream:


Hair-depilating creams contain chemicals that can break down hair proteins and dissolve them. You can apply a layer of cream to the affected area, keep it on for a few minutes and wipe off the dead hair with a wet towel. Brands like Veet, Nair, and Anne French are very popular in India. However, they can give you allergic reactions, so be sure to do a patch test.

Read More: 12 Best Veet Hair Removal Products

6. Pluckers and Tweezers:


If you have one or two prominently visible strands in the upper lip, chin or eyebrow areas, you can use a plucker to pull them out. Sit in a brightly lit area, and use a mirror to target only the hair and not your skin—Sanitise after every use to avoid infections.

Overview:

We hope this article has given you an overview of the different facial hair removal methods on your face. Beginners can start with a combination of threading or waxing and suitable home methods mentioned above. Once you reach a certain age and find your skin losing its elasticity, consult a doctor and find out if lasers can help you. So folks! If you have any other family secrets to removing facial hair, do share them with us. We can help out other ladies using this forum!

Suvarna

About Suvarna

Suvarna is a freelance content writer with over 8 years of professional writing experience. She specialized in developing research-based content on Beauty, Skin, and Hair Care. Suvarna believes that beauty is one of the key factors for every personality. She always strives to bring more authenticity and credibility to her articles.
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