Controlling Facial Hair on Women

There are some women who are prone by genetics to have facial hair. If you have a family history of facial hair it isn't a surprise to you. But, as women begin to age and their hormones become more imbalanced it can be a little embarrassing as well as discouraging. Certain types of medicine can also be the cause of having darker, coarser hair; some of these medications are phenytoin, anabolic steroids, minoxidil and cyclosporine.

This leaves you wondering what can be done to help control facial hair. Women have been fighting facial hair for centuries. There really is no easy fool-proof permanent solution to facial hair, but there are some things that can be done. Some of these treatments include:

• Makeup radio frequency/laser. This process is more complex than the other methods. It is usually used for more skin problems than just facial hair. The cost of this procedure varies so dramatically from one doctor to another that there is no way to provide an estimate for these treatments.
• Hormones. Hormone therapy is a great way to decrease facial hair, and has been shown to be effective. It usually takes several months to see any visible improvement. Once this therapy has begun it can be continued indefinitely.
• Tweezing. This method works great as long as there are only a few white hairs. By tweezing you can keep the few stray hairs in check. Sometimes, there can some pain associated with tweezing. The best way to make the process less painful is to apply just a bit of Anbesol (the toothache medicine) before you begin to tweeze.
• Shaving. This is the best solution if you tend to have a lot of facial hair that is coarse. It is cheaper than any of the other methods. Be sure to use a razor that is made to be used on sensitive skin. Don't worry about the myth that your hair will grow back thicker and heavier. It has been used for years by models who want their makeup to go on smoothly and appear flawless. There is also an added benefit: Shaving is great as an occasional exfoliate.
• Waxing. Usually a fairly quick way of removing unwanted facial hair. Waxing also eliminates the small fine hairs and will last about two to three weeks. The cream waxes are great to use on delicate facial skin. Caution should be used when waxing to avoid burning your skin.
• Electrolysis. This method is really the only one that is considered to be used for permanent removal. It can get a little pricey, but it does get positive results.
• Medications. There are a couple of different types of medication that can be useful in eliminating excess facial hair. One of these is Spironolactone; it works by blocking the androgen receptors. The other is Cyproterone acetate and is usually effective about 70 percent of the time.

With so many different methods of removing hair, you will need to try and find the one that is best for you. You may want to try several of the different methods before settling on just one method.