Grooming question re: facial hair

[Ms Perception]

Originally Posted by McKenziesmomma

I too have this embarrasing problem. I shave although it never gets completely smooth. I hate this and someday hope to get some form of electrolysis.

Has anyone had any experience with permenant removal?


Also...I know that facial/excessive hair growth tends to be pronounced more on heavier people due to increased/decreased hormones...etc....I'm wondering does it go away any with weight loss?

Not for me. I'm almost at goal weight and I still have the problem as much as ever. Currently I pluck, which is okay but for long term I'm considering electrolysis or laser treatments at some point, because as someone else mentioned, I can't help picturing myself as this old lady with whiskers when I'm too old to mess with it. I DO NOT want that to be me!!!

[Sonata]

I use Sally Hansen hair removal cream on my chin. I don't really have anything but soft blonde hair anywhere else, but I have a few tough little buggers on my chin, heh. It isn't very harsh and hasn't given me any irritation, despite my sensitive skin.

[BrittniMarie]

Originally Posted by geoblewis

Threading...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threading_(epilation)

And it hurts!

I actually like threading WAYYY more than waxing... I have really sensitive skin and most waxes make me break out but threading is all natural... Its kinda like tweezing.. over time the pain goes down... it also hurts more if the hairs are fully grown in...

[caryesings]

[quote=McKenziesmomma;2995089]I too have this embarrasing problem. I shave although it never gets completely smooth. I hate this and someday hope to get some form of electrolysis.

Has anyone had any experience with permenant removal?

QUOTE]

I love electrolysis! I am a big pain chicken so it took me many years to build up my nerve to try it (helps if you don't actually read the consent form). I went to a place that offered both electrolysis and laser and tried both. For me, the "all at once" pain of laser was just too much, I can take the one bite at a time of the electrolysis much better. Also laser only works on dark hair and I have some light colored bristles mixed in with the rest.

I went every other month for a few years as because another poster described, each hair growing at a different rate and so only the actively growing hair roots are killed at each treatment. Over time the length between appointments stretched out because no new hairs to treat. I'm now down to only a few times a year, as peri-menopause kicks in.

Cost was @$30 per visit, now up to $37 but so worth it to me who shaved and plucked every day.

[UrthWurm]

I got my lip hair waxed once, and it was a BIG mistake. I still had wax and some hair stuck to one side of my lip, and the rest that was gone felt sticky and strange. I've never done it again, but I did find an alternative method that's making me happy. =)

A month ago I started bleaching my lip hair. I've only done it once so far and was very impressed with the results. I see a little bit of the dye has faded, and I have some slightly darker areas again, but I still have a whole tub left of the bleach. LOVE this method. Works wonders.

[Thighs Be Gone]

OP, I know it's not advice you asked for but I have to say how much I have loved laser treatments. The cost is going down every year it seems and it has changed my life!

[Nigelswife]

I bought a wax at Sally beauty supply. I wish I coudld remember the name of it. But it works great. Its the kind you heat up in your microwave.

Another suggestion if you don't want to wax yourself is to go to a beauty school to have it done. They are pretty inexpensive. Here in Portland Oregon there is the Aveda beauty school and the Paul Mitchell beauty school. They do a pretty good job too!

[Wannabeskinny]

Originally Posted by UrthWurm

I got my lip hair waxed once, and it was a BIG mistake. I still had wax and some hair stuck to one side of my lip, and the rest that was gone felt sticky and strange. I've never done it again, but I did find an alternative method that's making me happy. =)

A month ago I started bleaching my lip hair. I've only done it once so far and was very impressed with the results. I see a little bit of the dye has faded, and I have some slightly darker areas again, but I still have a whole tub left of the bleach. LOVE this method. Works wonders.

Whoever was doing your waxing didn't know what they were doing I'm afraid. Get it done by a professional with good credentials. After the waxing is done it is easy to remove any lingering wax with just a little baby oil. The professional would've done that. Also, that strange rubbery hairless feeling goes away the next day usually.

[Mikan]

I get my upper lip waxed at the salon along with my eyebrows. However, I do breakout a lot after getting this done. whenever I let it grow out I also feel very self conscious and feel that people are looking at my lip because people have commented before (how rude!). I think more women than you would guess have this issue and it is embarrassing ! Happy to see that I am not alone

[Nori71]

I've gone to the salon for waxing for years and I no longer break out, get red or ingrowns and rarely even feel uncomfortable. In between waxings I pluck and stray wirey hairs and I also have one of those smooth away pads that I occasionally use. I have been known to grab a razor also... I would love to do laser but most of my hairs are light and the laser wouldn't *find* them.

[shantroy]

I had the worst mustache as teenager. Most 15 yr old boys would have died to have one like me! Seriously, I am one harry beast. Thank -you dad for pale Irish skin and mom I've always appreciated the eastern Europe thick dark hair you passed on to me! What a combination!

I finally gave in and saved up for laser hair removal. It was the only thing that worked for me. Took a few sessions (about a year or so) and I no longer have a mustache or chin hairs! It was a life saver for me.

So much so, that I have had, my bikini line, stomach, full legs, feet and underarm done (can you tell I'm hairy!?!). I had such bad leg hair that by the end of the day I would seriously have a 5 o'clock shadow on my legs. If I went more than 2 days with out saving my legs you could feel the hair through my jeans. I was so embarrassed by all my hair that it saved and saved and saved and had everything lasered. It was a god send! I would recommend it to everyone!

Now I just wax my eyebrows and arms.

[Sskar]

I used to bleach my upper lip and got tired of that. Home waxing - well, guess I'm not very good at it. My first few trips to a salon resulted in much redness and some breakouts. Finally I asked my hair person who she used, voilà, I found someone with latest techniques and no more redness or breakouts.

Ask around at your hair salon or spa or friends you know get waxing - they are the best source.

[missyanne24]

I'm just reading on back stories... I remember on one of my other boards for women with PCOS, they mentioned a product.. something called "Magic" hair remover. It's made for black men's beards to make them softer to shave, I guess...but anyway, I always found it was GREAT for my chin hairs/mustache because it was made for thicker, rougher facial hair (which I always had/have).

Good luck!

[Firecracker777]

i have this problem as well started around 9th grade probably. my upper lip isnt to bad but under my chin and even my side burns get really dark. my parents let me get laser hair removal a few years ago (not electrolysis) and it made the hair a little thinner and lighter however it never made it go away fully. it was getting expensive so I had to stop going. the dr said it was fine to shave and that shaving doesnt actually cause hair to grow back thicker and darker like people think. i think hes lying... hahah so for now I still shave like every other day. i tried waxing myself and its just too painful and i cant pay to get myself waxed at a salon. so for now a good razor will do. its just those days im running late and forget to shave... so embarrassing.

[BeachBreeze2010]

If we all didn't have this problem, there wouldn't be an entire industry to help with hair removal! No shame.

With that being said, I am still struggling with the best way to handle hair removal. I pluck the ones on my chin everyday. Those are the ones that freak me out the most.

My upper lip is another story. It is almost all light colored, fine hair, but I get a few dark ones here and there. Even though, they are fine, if they grow out they are thick enough to be noticed. So, I take a pair of small nail scissors and hold the blades parallel to my lip and trim as close as I can - usually very close. Note that I would not reccomend this method to someone that has unsteady hands. (I can paint my own french manicured nails.)

But, I wish I could wax it. I have had it done professionally and even though they all promise it won't break out, it does. Threading does too. (Love threading for eyebrows!) I have put on the creams and all that and it still breaks out. I have plucked a few of the worst "offenders" and that breaks out too. Granted the waxing lasts longer than the breakouts, but still... Does anyone else have a way to get rid of upper lip hair w/o breakouts??