female only Help For The Dreaded Facial Hair?

[keldolbeth 262]

I just checked... it's called Gigi's and it's in a yellow and white package.

[favoredone 590]

Lasers actually don't promote hair growth... they don't pull hair out... they send a pulse to the hair follicle and if it's strong enough, it kills the follicle and no hair grows from it again... the issue is that you have different follicles in their active growth phases at different times...

I had about 3 laser treatments done 3 years ago... and I still have way less hair than before... 6-7 are recommended in 6 week intervals... they can get expensive, but it is definitely worth it.. oh, she used the Yag laser on me..

[LouiseC 1,029]

I prefer waxing and I do it at home. I use the wax the professionals use that doesn't need strips, just apply and pull off. I do this twice a week to keep on top of things. I could join the circus if I let it grow!

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[kyllfalcon 768]

I took an altogether different route. I have been plagued with dark facial hair since puberty at 11. Plus a dark unibrow.

After years of trying this and that and nothing working to my satisfaction, I started electrolysis. It was extremely painful, left mild swelling after each treatment, took about 1.5 years of weekly treatments to the tune of about $3,000.

Totally worth it all. Every last hair, gone forever. Baby butt smooth, whereas before my hubby said before the treatments it was like kissing a man with razor stubble.

My motivation? Fear of lying in a nursing home with all that hair growing on my face and no daughters to take care of it!!! What do sons know about such things?

[BenisaMartim4 369]

My motivation? Fear of lying in a nursing home with all that hair growing on my face and no daughters to take care of it!!! What do sons know about such things?

I guess I'm not that weird after all. I have thought about that exact same thing. I have 4 sons and no daughter. Unfortunately I don't have the $3000 for the treatments either. My mother had them done for years though and the laser treatments too, but it didn't work for her :o/

[Wheetsin 714]

I've been fat for a long time, I had to take steroids for 4 months once, and my mom is Greek. That pretty much makes me an unofficial expert on female facial hair. (note I did not say removal).

Susan - the little do-hickey you posted - never heard of it, but it looks like it's just a personal trimmer with an LED light. Personal trimmers do ok. They tend to heat up quite a bit - enough to get uncomfortable. Generally speaking they do not last long. Is it something more than that? Because if it's marketed as a photo removal tool (works with light) an LED isn't going to do a thing to hair other than illuminate it.

NoNo! - My mom ordered this. It was crap. She was so excited about it, too. It smelled like burnt hair and didn't seem to do much to the hair. Some was gone, some was not. It grew back just like anything else. It streaked her a bit, too.

Tweezers - fine for the occasional hair or two. I tweeze my brows between salon visits. Unfortunately "a hair or two" is not my problem. Rest your chin on your hands, like you would if you were bored. Everywhere your hands are touching = problem area for me. I don't have hours & hours to spend tweezing.

Epilady type products - OMFG just say no.

Waxing - ok, but I have sensitive skin. Very sensitive skin. Waxing pretty much feels like the skin is being pulled off. I get my brows waxed and for about 20 hours I look like I've been maced. I've tried both salon waxing and home waxing. Home waxing sucks (IMO). Salon waxing works but it's agony on the chinnigans.

Laser - I would do this in a heartbeat except for two things. I've been told you need to have dark hair for it to be very effective, and I don't. I have a dark red hair, and I've been told (my the people who do this) that red counts as a light color, regardless of shade. It has something to do with how the light pulses travel down the hair into the follicle. Dark hairs are better travel agents, I guess. Ok, so that was the first thing. The second thing as, and I'm quoting multiple people when I say this, "It's like getting sliced continuously with exact-o blades." I don't know if that's true, but almost everyone I've asked makes that exact same comparison. That's a lot of pain for something that might work to varying degrees. Slather me up with some EMLA cream or something and we'll talk.

Threading - I've had my brows threaded. It basically felt just like an epilady. It also made me bleed. Not just a pinpoint like a tweezing might do, nor did I need sutures, but the blood had to be wiped away. And that was just my eyebrows, which are the least sensitive part of my face. I can't imagine getting the chinnagins threaded. Though I would get my eyebrows threaded again. They looked really good!

Electrolysis - OMFG no.

Vaniqa - About 4 years ago my Dr phoned mein a RX. I picked it up for $160. I used the entire tube and it did nothing other than cost me $160.

Chemical hair removers (e.g. Nair): Of everything, these are probably my favorite. They do last longer than shaving, they don't hurt. The right ones are fine for even my horribly sensitive skin, and they smell a lot better than they used to (as a kid, before I was allowed to shave with a razor, I was only allowed to use Nair and it STUNK). I can wear it while I do other things. It's kinda gross wiping off all that hair, but who cares.

Sandpaper - that's right, sandpaper. Very, very fine grain sandpaper is sold as "hair buffers". You'll see them on endcaps near the beauty sreas in most mega marts. Little white pads. It will say you can just "rub your hair away". It's not magic, it's sandpaper. They work. They don't irritate skin too much. They also don't last long at all (maybe 1 or 2 times, and only on a small area). they're so so. I used to keep one in my purse for "emergencies".

Razor - sadly, this is what I do most of the time during my morning shower. It's so quick and easy. Or elec razor (I've "borrowed" DH's $$$$ ""gold cadillac" razor after he's gone downstairs). This sucks. It feels like about the least feminine thing one could possibly do, but really - see any good alternatives above?

[*susan* 1,709]

Wow, thanks for that analysis. Right now, I wax the upper lip and pluck the strays. As for the chin, it grows so darn fast that I use a razor, although you guys are the only ones who know that, lol. I tried Nair on my legs about a million years ago and it didn't work at all. I have never tried it on my face, maybe it has improved since I tried it, so I think I will give that a try.

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[Webtrekker 39]

I bought a Tweezie a few years back and love it. it's battery powered and plucks the hairs as you go over them.

[ImLooznit 171]

you can also buy NAIR for the face, just do not leave it on very long, a couple minutes at first. Most important do a TEST area FIRST... like I said do not leave it on as long at first you may be sensitive to it. after a few times, you wont have to use it very often.. you can find it at wally world, or a drugstore.

[Mom_24 72]

I LOVE threading. I have my whole face done, including the blond ones that I never even noticed before, about once a month. I think the trick is to find someone experience, not someone just learning the skill. It is a bit uncomfortable, but to me it is way more comfortable than waxing. I tend to have sensitive skin.

[JenniJune 79]

I used to have my brows waxes, but that got too expensive. I have thick, dark strays that show up on my cheeks, chin, and nose. I'm Norse descended so my body hair is naturally pretty light, thank God! I did have one woman wax my lip without asking (I was there for brows only) and I've had trouble there ever since.

[Pamalam 11]

I bought a couple of tweezes, battery operated, pulls the hair out like tweezing. I love it and couldn't live without it. I have never shaved my face. As seen in TV product bought at bed bath and beyond but don't see it sold anywhere. May still be able to get on website.

[Chubarella 87]

My face gets really irritated with waxing so I have to shave with a razor...grr!

[Piplula 709]

I am planning to go back for more laser treatment I do have less hair on my chin..but I only had two treatments, and was told I would need ten. It was expensive but I found a place that will do 5 treatments for 250 which I think is a bargain. My other place that did it charged 250 per session. This sounds much better to me! I have to warn you though..I had blisters after my initial treatment and my chin looked like Jay Leno's for 3 days from the swelling..probably why I went back only two times. For now, I use a coarse hair wax on my eyebrows, lip, & chin to remain hair free until I can get with the office to set up more laser treatments.

[Odee 57]

I have been cursed with a heavy amount of facial hair and I use an epilator and wax. I use the epilator on my chin and yes it hurts like a b!tch but it works and works quickly. I literally would get a pain in my hand from standing in the mirror trying to tweeze each hair one at a time. It is very full and thick. So embarrassing. God forbid I ever get stranded without anything, I would be mortified. I wax my lip/"moustache" every week to keep up with it. Definitely a chore. I'm already working on a plan for when I have surgery on 9/4 and the days and weeks following. LOL