Facial hair removal for women: all methods compared

First: when to see a doctor

Fine, light hairs on the upper lip are completely normal, and individual darker hairs on the chin are also common, often with age or after hormonal changes. However, if facial hair appears for the first time or increases significantly within a short period, please have the cause checked by a doctor first – for example at a gynaecology or dermatology practice. None of the methods below replaces this.

The methods at a glance

¹ Permanent hair reduction requires several treatments, depending on the body area and the individual hair and skin type. Success cannot be guaranteed, even when the treatment is carried out professionally. On light, red, grey or white hair, the treatment is ineffective or only partially effective.

Shaving

Taboo for many, yet uncomplicated: a small facial razor removes hair and fuzz in seconds. The hair does not grow back thicker or darker afterwards – that's a myth. It just feels more stubbly because it has been cut off bluntly. The downside: after one to three days, the hairs are back.

Tweezing and threading

Tweezers work well for removing individual dark hairs on the chin. For larger areas it's tedious, and some hairs become ingrown. With threading, a trained professional twists a cotton thread so that it catches several hairs at once and pulls them out by the root. It's precise, you only feel it briefly, and it lasts about four to five weeks.

Waxing

Warm wax or cold wax strips remove hair on the upper lip and chin by the root. The result lasts three to four weeks. Afterwards, facial skin may be red and irritated. If you use retinol or retinoids, you should pause them on your face for a few days before waxing, the American Academy of Dermatology advises – otherwise the wax can pull off the top layer of skin. If you take acne medication, check with your doctor first.

Hair removal cream for the face

Special facial creams dissolve the hair chemically. This doesn't hurt and is particularly suitable for fine fuzz. However, the active ingredients can irritate sensitive facial skin. So: only use products explicitly intended for the face, test on a small area first, stick to the application time and don't use near the eyes.

Bleaching

With very fine, light fuzz, some people find that lightening it with a facial bleaching cream is enough. The hair stays but is less noticeable. For dark, coarse hair, this is not a solution.

Home remedies: toothpaste, sugar, lemon

There are lots of tips online – removing facial hair with toothpaste, lemon or turmeric. Toothpaste doesn't remove hair; it can, however, irritate facial skin. A homemade sugar paste works much like sugaring in a studio, but it's difficult without practice and can injure the skin. Lemon juice makes the skin more sensitive to light.

Laser: permanent^¹ reduction

The laser targets the hair root. After several sessions, considerably fewer, finer and lighter hairs grow back on the upper lip and chin. This only works on hair that contains melanin – in other words, dark hair. Light fuzz and red, grey and white hair don't respond.

¹ Permanent hair reduction requires several treatments, depending on the body area and the individual hair and skin type. Success cannot be guaranteed, even when the treatment is carried out professionally. On light, red, grey or white hair, the treatment is ineffective or only partially effective.

Two things you should know:

• Hormone-related hair growth often partly comes back, because the cause remains. Touch-ups at intervals of several months are then usually needed.
• Paradoxical hypertrichosis: In rare cases, fine hair grows back more densely at the edge of the treated area after treatment. In an analysis of many studies, this occurred in about 3% of those treated overall, almost exclusively on the face and neck; on the rest of the body, in about 0.08%. It isn't possible to say for certain in advance who will be affected. We talk about this openly beforehand.

More on treatment of the face: Upper lip and face.

Electrolysis

In electrolysis (needle epilation), a fine probe is inserted into each hair follicle and the hair root is cauterised with electric current. Because it doesn't depend on hair colour, it also works on light and grey hair. On the other hand, each hair is treated individually – this takes many appointments, and you can feel it. For a few light hairs on the chin, it can be the right method.

Which method suits me?

• Light fuzz: shaving, cream or bleaching
• Individual dark hairs on the chin: tweezing, or laser for less effort in the long run
• Dark hair on the upper lip and chin: threading or waxing for weeks at a time, laser for a permanent^¹ reduction
• Light or grey hair: electrolysis

¹ Permanent hair reduction requires several treatments, depending on the body area and the individual hair and skin type. Success cannot be guaranteed, even when the treatment is carried out professionally. On light, red, grey or white hair, the treatment is ineffective or only partially effective.

FAQ

Sources

1. Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz: Dauerhafte Haarentfernung (Epilation). bfs.de/DE/themen/opt/anwendung-medizin-wellness/epilation/epilation.html
2. Snast I et al.: Paradoxical Hypertrichosis Associated with Laser and Light Therapy for Hair Removal: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Am J Clin Dermatol 2021;22(5):615–624. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34057666
3. Vaidya T, Hohman MH, Kumar DD: Laser Hair Removal. StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507861
4. American Academy of Dermatology: How to wax. aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/hair/how-to-wax
5. American Academy of Dermatology: How to remove unwanted hair. aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/hair/remove-unwanted-hair

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