How to Reduce Unwanted Facial Hair

Co-authored by Alicia Ramos

Last Updated: March 9, 2023 References

There are many ways you can remove or reduce unwanted facial hair. Many people struggle with this issue, especially due to hormonal changes. However, there are many remedies available for you, from natural ones you can do at home to more complicated procedures best done in a salon.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Using Chemicals to Remove Hair

1
Try waxing. You could either use an at home waxing kit or get the facial hair waxed away in a salon. Waxing removes hair from the root, so it's an effective way to get a smooth face. It irritates some people's skin, though. ^{[1]
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- Warm wax should be applied to the desired area using the applicator that comes with the kit and then allowed to cool. Use your fingers to pull the cold wax off of your skin in the opposite direction of the hair growth. Regular waxing can reduce regrowth because this technique interrupts the development of hair follicles.
- If your skin is sensitive to wax, you could try sugaring, which is a natural method similar to waxing. Add 2 cups of granulated sugar and 1/4 cup lemon juice to 1/4 cup water. Boil until it turns into a paste. It needs to simmer about 25 minutes and turn amber brown. Let it cool. Dust your skin with corn starch or baby powder. Apply the mixture in the opposite direction of hair growth. Put a rag on it, and then pull it off.
2
Use depilatories. Depilatories are chemical products that remove unwanted facial hair from the surface of the skin. The chemicals dissolve the hair into a gel-like substance.
- Apply the depilatory to the skin. Leave the product on the skin based on the timing instructions that come with the product. Once the product has been on the skin for the required length of time, wipe it off of your skin with a clean cloth.
- Hair regrows a few days after using a depilatory. Depilatories can be purchased across the counter. One problem with depilatories is that they have a strong chemical smell.
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3
Try bleaching. Bleaching doesn't remove unwanted facial hair. However, it can make it harder to see. The trick is making sure the product matches your skin tone. ^{[2]
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- If you have heavy hair growth, this is not a good solution for you. Bleaching regularly can irritate the skin. So you should test it out on a small patch of the skin before using it more heavily.
- If you do bleach, stay out of the sun for at least an hour. If you don't, the skin could have a bad reaction.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Removing Hair Physically

1
Use tweezers to reduce facial hair. This is one of the most common ways people remove facial hair. It works best when you don't have that much hair to remove. One or two dark hairs on the chin? Tweezing is the best way to go.
- Sterilize the ends of the tweezers with rubbing alcohol before and after plucking to avoid infection. Stretch the skin gently around the area that you want to pluck. Grip the hair near the root, and then firmly pull the hair.
- Plucking facial hair is inexpensive, but time consuming. It can also be painful and lead to ingrown hairs if the hair breaks off underneath the skin. You can avoid ingrown hairs by pulling the hair gently as opposed to yanking it out with the tweezers.
- Hair regrowth after plucking can occur in 3 to 8 weeks.
2
Try a disposable or reusable razor for use in wet shaving. Disposable razors will give you a closer shave than an electric shaver, especially if you have a thick beard.^{[3]
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Rivas, Marlon. Personal interview. 17 January 2020.}Apply a shaving gel or foam to the chin or upper lip. Glide the razor across the skin in the direction that the hair grows.
- You can also use an electric razor for wet or dry shaving. Be careful or you could cause small cuts. It can be hard to use a razor on some areas of the face, like the chin.
- Hair regrowth after shaving is fast, though. Hair can return in anywhere from a few hours to a few days. ^{[4]
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3
Try threading. Threading is becoming an increasingly common way to remove facial hair. It's often used to shape the eyebrows, but people who do threading can also remove your facial hair with the procedure.
- The cosmetologist will twist a cotton thread around the hairs on the desired area and then pull them out in rows.
- One benefit of threading is that, unlike waxing, it doesn't inflame sensitive skin. The hair will grow back in a couple of weeks.
- Some salons now offer threading. Look in the phone book or ask your favorite salon.
4
Use lasers. Laser hair treatments are very useful for getting rid of that unwanted hair.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Alicia Ramos
Skincare Professional
Expert Interview. 12 June 2019.} The laser gives off beams of heat and light to the roots of the hair and stops the hair from growing after a period of time.
- To get the end result it will take 9 or more months but is much more worth it. It is more expensive at first, but in the end you save money. One of the downsides to laser hair treatment is that it can be very painful. A plus side is that it can permanently remove the hair.
- You will probably need to go for repeated treatments to fully destroy the hair. Laser hair treatment works best on people with light skin and dark hair.
- The face is a sensitive part of the body. It is more prone to infection.^{[6]
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  Expert Source
  
  Alicia Ramos
  Skincare Professional
  Expert Interview. 12 June 2019.}
- So it is better to use laser hair removal instead of epilating facial hair.^{[7]
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  Expert Source
  
  Alicia Ramos
  Skincare Professional
  Expert Interview. 12 June 2019.}
5
Try electrolysis. Electrolysis should be done in the salon. This is a tedious process that is best for small areas of hair removal, such as above the lip.
- Electrolysis is done with a small needle. An electric current is delivered into each hair root, one-by-one, permanently destroying the hair.
- White or blonde hair can be removed with electrolysis, unlike laser treatment, which works better with darker hair and light skin. You will need to go for the treatments until the hair is destroyed.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Finding a Natural Remedy

1
Use a gelatin peel. You can make a gelatin face mask at home to remove unwanted facial hair. All you need is a tablespoon of unflavored gelatin, 2 to 3 tablespoons of milk, 3 to 4 drops of lime juice or 1 to 2 drops of lavender essential oil.
- Mix the products together, then microwave them for about 15 seconds. Apply the mixture to your face, and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, peel it off.
- Make sure you don't get the mixture near your eyebrows or eyes. When you peel the mask off, you should find that unwanted facial hair (and blackheads) come off with it.
2
Make a lemon/orange or apricot/honey scrub. Fruit-based scrubs can help you remove unwanted facial hair without the harshness of chemical products.
- For the lemon/orange peel scrub, mix together 1 teaspoon each of powdered orange and lemon peel, ground almond, and oatmeal. Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of rose water. Mixing these items should create a paste. Put the paste on your face for about 5-8 minutes. Rub the paste into your skin with small circular movements. Then rinse your face with water. You will need to do this 2-3 times a week to see results.
- For the apricot scrub, grind half a cup of dried apricots in a blender until it's a powder. Then add 1 teaspoon of honey. Apply to face for 5-10 minutes. Rub into skin with small circular movements, and then rinse with lukewarm water. You also need to use this scrub 2-3 times a week to see any difference.
3
Make a paste with Turmeric. Turmeric has been used for a long time in India to improve the look of the skin. You can make a homemade paste out of it. ^{[8]
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- All you need is 1 to 2 teaspoons of Turmeric, and milk or water. Mix them into a paste. Put it on your face for 15 to 20 minutes. Let it dry. Then, wash it off with warm water.
- This paste will work best for people with fine facial hair. If the hair is denser, you could add oatmeal to the paste.
4
Try an egg mask. Another natural remedy for removing facial hair can be made with eggs. You need 1 egg white, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1/2 tablespoon of cornflour.
- Beat them together until it turns into a paste. Apply the paste to your face, and let it dry. It will turn into a thin mask.
- Pull the mask off firmly, and you should see the hair come off with it.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Preventing Facial Hair Growth

1
Drink spearmint tea. Spearmint tea affects the amount of male hormone in your body, so if you drink it enough, you might see less facial hair growth.
- Studies published in scientific journals like Phytotherapy Research have found that women who drank spearmint tea reduced the amount of testosterone (male hormone) flowing through their blood streams. This reduction in testosterone led to less unwanted hair growth.
- Consume 2 cups of spearmint teas for a minimum of 5 days per week. ^{[9]
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2
Use a hair growth inhibitor. Visit your dermatologist to get a prescription for a hair inhibitor. Hair inhibitors are plant-based products that change the structure of hair follicles so that the hair grows thin and soft and eventually it does not grow at all.
- Apply the cream to the areas of your face where you want to reduce hair growth. The cream will remain on your skin. Follow the instructions that accompany the product to determine frequency of use.
- Hair growth inhibitors can be used in conjunction with other hair reduction methods such as threading, waxing and tweezing.
- Results may take 4 to 6 months. It costs about $100 for a supply that will last you two months. ^{[10]
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3
Although there's not much evidence of long-lasting effect, make a drink out of black cohosh herb. This herb slows down facial hair growth. In addition to turning it into tea, you can find it in capsule form. With any natural herbs, it's a good idea to check with your doctor first.
- To make the tea, you need 20 grams of dry black cohosh root, 4 1/4 cups of water, and a teaspoon of honey. Boil the water and root, and then let it simmer for 30 minutes. Strain it.
- Put the honey into the concoction. Drink three times a day. You will need to refrigerate the liquid. Higher dosages of the tea can cause side effects, and it shouldn't be used if you have liver disease or cancer, so it's best to see a doctor before you try this regimen.
4
Deal with hormones. Sometimes hair will grow more because of a hormone issue, such as during menopause. This is a condition that should only be diagnosed by a doctor.
- Sometimes doctors will prescribe birth control pills to help address such issues.Some underlying medical conditions can cause facial hair growth, such as polycystic ovary syndrome.
- Eat foods with phytoestrogen. If you eat foods with this ingredient, it can help cure an estrogen imbalance, although again you should check with a doctor. More estrogen can slow down hair growth. ^{[11]
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  Research source} Licorice, alfalfa, fennel and flaxseeds are natural products that contain phytoestrogen.
- Basically, phytoestrogen mimics the role that estrogen plays in the body.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can you make your eyebrows look fuller?

Alicia Ramos
Skincare Professional
Alicia Ramos is a licensed aesthetician and the owner of Smoothe Denver in Denver, Colorado. She received her license at the School of Botanical & Medical Aesthetics, with training in lashes, dermaplaning, waxing, microdermabrasion, and chemical peels, and now provides skin care solutions to hundreds of clients.

Alicia Ramos

Skincare Professional

Expert Answer

You can use eyebrow makeup. It helps to enhance the appearance of your brows temporarily. Another option is using a brow tint, which dyes your brows. It typically lasts for 4-6 weeks, making your brows appear darker and, therefore, fuller. Besides this, you can use a procedure called microblading, which is essentially a temporary tattoo under your brows that helps them appear both fuller and darker for up to 30 months.
Question

Which hair removal method is more suitable for removing facial hair?

Alicia Ramos
Skincare Professional
Alicia Ramos is a licensed aesthetician and the owner of Smoothe Denver in Denver, Colorado. She received her license at the School of Botanical & Medical Aesthetics, with training in lashes, dermaplaning, waxing, microdermabrasion, and chemical peels, and now provides skin care solutions to hundreds of clients.

Alicia Ramos

Skincare Professional

Expert Answer

The face is a sensitive part of the body. It is more prone to infection. So it is better to use laser hair removal instead of epilating facial hair.
Question

Wouldn't this make hair grow more?

Community Answer

If you stimulate the hormones, that will cause more hair growth. These are methods of how to pause that process.

Warnings

Test depilatories on a small area of your skin before applying it to larger areas to check for skin irritation. Depilatories also have a strong chemical odor; can burn the skin; and cause peeling, blisters and allergic reactions.

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Shaving can lead to ingrown hairs. It can also result in cuts to the skin. Use a shaving lotion or gel to reduce irritation.

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Helpful 43 Not Helpful 26
It can't be stressed enough: See a doctor if you think you have a hormonal imbalance.

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Waxing can be painful and may cause irritation and/or bleeding. Follow the directions provided with the home waxing kit you choose very carefully.

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