The normal amount and type of facial hair in women varies. It is most common or normal for women to have fine facial hair on the outer corners of the upper lip and also on the chin. This normal facial hair is best described as peach fuzz.
Hirsutism is linked to hormones called androgens. It can happen if the level of these hormones increases or if your body becomes more sensitive to them. The most common cause is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This is a condition affecting the ovaries that can also cause symptoms such as acne and irregular periods.
Vellus hair (peach fuzz) is fine, short hair that grows all over your body, including your face, stomach, arms and legs. Vellus hair helps regulate your body temperature and protects your skin. Excess vellus hair growth can be a sign of some health conditions, such as Cushing's syndrome.
Everyone has hair on their chin and this is perfectly normal. We all have vellus follicles that produce very fine, tiny light-colored hair that is often referred to as “peach fuzz”. Vellus hair serves a purpose, which is to help regulate our body temperature.
Day, MD, clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center. As we age, our bodies lose estrogen; testosterone, unopposed, causes us to grow more hair where men have it, on our faces (and to grow less on our heads).
However, repeated ripping of the hair from its follicle via waxing or plucking (which is essentially the same thing, when you think about it) will make hair grow back thicker, darker and coarser… and frequently, more plentiful and faster to re-grow.
For women, the hair may grow in areas where men often have a lot of hair, but women often don't. This includes the upper lip, chin, chest, and back. It's caused by an excess of male hormones called androgens. All women naturally produce small amounts of androgens.
There are many safe ways to remove unwanted facial hair, including tweezing, waxing, threading, shaving or using depilatory creams. If you're worried that any of those techniques will cause your hair to grow back thicker, you can relax on that front.
Sometimes women do notice an increase in their facial hair around or after the time they go through menopause. The ratio of estrogen to androgens (including the "male" hormone testosterone) will decrease with menopause, since ovarian estrogen production goes down but testosterone levels don't change as dramatically.
“Hair growth occurs where hair follicles are concentrated,” Dr. Massick adds, “so it's not unusual to have the same hairs popping back up again.” That means you may simply be battling the same hair each time or hair from its sister follicle that's lurking nearby.
Peach fuzz (vellus hair) is a type of facial hair that's shorter, softer in texture, and lighter in color compared to other hairs on your body. While not typically visible to others, you may still elect to remove peach fuzz if you want a smoother face, along with better makeup application.
Shaving blunts the edges of hair, making it feel stubbly and coarse. This may create the illusion that hair has become darker or thicker. Shaving facial hair, however, doesn't thicken it or change its color. It may make terminal hairs feel harder to the touch, until they grow out completely.
The disadvantages are the same as you'd experience when shaving any other part of your body: a potential for irritation, redness, small cuts, ingrown hairs, and possibly even infection. Patients regularly ask me if shaving will cause hair to come back thicker and coarser. It doesn't.
Facial hair growth is largely propelled by testosterone, a hormone. Testosterone levels can vary. For men between 19 and 38, the normal range is 264 to 916 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL). This represents about the 3rd through 98th percentile for testosterone.
As women age, they may notice the appearance of unwanted, unsightly facial hair. During the hormone changes caused by menopause, estrogen levels decline while levels of testosterone and other androgens rise. This can result in hair growth on the face as well as excess body hair.
“Plucking or tweezing is not the preferred method of hair removal as recommended by dermatologists,” Dr. Lertzman said. “There are other techniques – both at-home and in a dermatologist's office – that are safe and effective when it comes to removing unwanted hair from the face.”
Hirsutism and unwanted PCOS facial hair are very common with polycystic ovary syndrome. Hirsutism can be seen as coarse, dark hair that may appear on the face, chest, abdomen, back, upper arms, or upper legs. Hirsutism is a symptom of medical disorders associated with the hormones called androgens.
During menopause, people may notice their hair is thinning, less full or shedding more. “Treat your scalp like fertilizer that you want to optimize for hair growth,” says Dr. Williams. “If your scalp is dry, use gentle, moisturizing shampoos and wash it less frequently.
Shaving can cause skin cuts and may lead to ingrown hairs. Plucking can hurt, especially if a lot of hairs are removed. Using hot wax can burn your skin. Chemicals that dissolve hair often smell bad and can cause allergic skin reactions.
Use the Proper Technique
Now, it's time to actually tweeze the hair. Standing in front of a mirror with good lighting, hold skin taut with your free hand. Doing so will mean less tugging and pain, so grab onto hair as close as you can near the skin, and remove it in the direction that it grows.
Even if you shave, wax, tweeze, or thread, unwanted facial hair eventually grows back. Although there isn't a prescription topical cream to remove hair, Vaniqa is the only medication approved to reduce the growth of unwanted facial hair in women.
No — shaving hair doesn't change its thickness, color or rate of growth. Shaving facial or body hair gives the hair a blunt tip. The tip might feel coarse or "stubbly" for a time as it grows out. During this phase, the hair might be more noticeable and perhaps appear darker or thicker.
Few foods might help you to get rid of facial hair: Sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, garlic, peaches, oats, dried fruits, barley, mung beans, lentils, and rice bran may help increase the estrogen (hormone) levels in the body and reduce unwanted facial hair naturally.