Embarasing question for the girls.

[joannah]

I am mainly a lurker. But I have posted a couple of times.

I am beginning to have a problem. Facial hair.

Does anyone else have this prob. and if you aren't too embarased to say, will you tell me what you do or better yet why this is happening and then what you do if you have the prob.:o

Thanks.
joannah

[Cookin4Love]

I'm post-menopausal, so I'm pretty sure that's where mine comes from. I go over my face with tweezers every day like clockwork. I tend to just get a few coarse hairs on my chin on the edges of my lips, so it's not too bad. If you have seen a significant change in the amount of facial hair you have, I would suggest talking with your doctor. It can be an indication of a hormone imbalance or other endocrinological disorder; I would at least rule that out.

[RecipeGirl]

This was one of the side effects of pregnancy for me. It seems like I grew hair on my face in enormous amounts. Fortunately it went away after I delivered and stopped taking the prenatals. I have just a little now- nothing noticeable and fortunately it's blond too.

I do have friends with really noticeable facial hair problems and they go in for regular waxings to get it removed.

[funniegrrl]

Yes, please ask your doctor, ESPECIALLY if you are not peri-menopausal. The main cause of this in younger women is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, although of course there could be many other causes. PCOS will have other symptoms as well.

If it's an ongoing condition, the two main treatments (outside of treating the underlying condition) is a topical prescription called Vaniqua, and laser removal. Vaniqua only works on some people. The same is true for laser removal; the best candidates have lighter skin and darker hair.

[blazedog]

Depends on how old you are and how much hair you are getting.

If you are post menopausal, it's normal. I find that NAIR for the face seems to work best as it eliminates my having to be constantly vigilant -- some of my chin hairs are white so they are easily missed -- also I seem to have more "fuzz" and who wants to tweeze that -- I do my upper lip and chin about every 3 to 4 weeks.

As others have posted, if you are young and experiencing a surge, see an endocrinologist as it can be an indicator of something awry.

[luv2cook]

You can laser it off. It's not too horribly priced but has to be done by a qualified, licensed individual. I was at the salon yesterday and their prices start at $150 but I am sure that varies by individual and state...

[mst]

You can also go to an electrologist. This is what my mom did for a living. And, if it makes you feel better, she was always booked up! Lots of women have this problem for lots of reasons. Often, it is just hereditary. For example, Jewish women and Italian women tend to have more hair. I would talk to your doctor, and then do electrology or laser. They both are expensive, but I have never, ever met anybody who did not think it was worth every penny (and everyone tells me their hairy stories!:p ) For self-confidence reasons, I would choose a permanent method of hair removal (electrology or laser). Who wants to keep seeing unwanted hair return every month? Laser does work best on those with light skin and dark hair. I don't know anything about the topical medicine.

I would have your doctor or dermatologist give you a recommendation for an electrologist or laser person. Both of these can scar, so you want to be with someone who knows what they are doing. (In over 25 years, my mom never scarred anyone, nor did anyone who worked for her. It is not a common occurence, but it can happen.) Also, both methods can take a few treatments before all the hair is gone. The root of the hair needs to be killed, and sometimes the root can be stubborn!

[SDMomChef]

I also have pondered posting this question. I have always had darker facial hair, and regularly wax my upper lip. But, after my second pregnancy, it seemed like my chin went crazy. I have to literally pluck stray chin hairs every morning as part of my routine because they are course and dark. I tried going the waxing routine, but who wants to have stray black coarse hairs sticking out of their chin! I just assumed it was part of life and have never considered asking my doctor about it. I've also thought about laser treatment, but just haven't been able to figure out how to fit the cost in the budget! When I'm grumpy about it, I just remind myself that men have to deal with nose hair and ear hair and back hair....so I can handle this. :D

[joannah]

WHEW! Thank God. I did ask my Doctor, briefly, and he gave me a prescription. But, in reading it, it said to apply after each hair removing session or something that just didn't make very much sense to me at all. Or that it would only work after hair removal and it was expensive, 30 or 50 dollars. And if you stop using it I believe the hair came back:eek: I can't remember the name of it though.I do appreciate your answers. I am post menopausal. My niece works for a cosmetic surgeon so I will see what referrals she can offer.

Again, many thanks.
Joannah

[mcgee]

Funny, I was going to post a similar question as well. Just last night I saw an advertisiment on TV for Vaniqa - "the only FDA approved prescription cream to remove unwanted hair in women." I guess it reduces the growth of facial hair but doesn't actually remove it like electrolysis does. I am in no way associated with this product but wondered if anyone here has tried it. I get the stray chin hairs which I hate but am more concerned with the growth on my upper lip. I currently get it waxed but that's becoming expensive. As I understand it, with Vaniqa you still have to wax but not quite so often. Has anyone tried or even heard of this yet? I suppose I could call my doctor. Their website is: http://www.vaniqa.com/

Thanks.

[funniegrrl]

Yes, I mentioned it in my response, above.

I don't have personal experience with it, but I don't know that it'd be worth using for a few stray hairs. I think it's most useful for women who have seriously unusual hirsutism, not for a little extra lip/chin fuzz because of normal hormonal changes associated with aging. Still, you can always ask your dermatologist about it.

[little_bopeep]

I bought a Tweeze (http://www.buytweeze.com/)and really love it. It sometimes takes a couple of "sessions" to get all the hairs since they aren't all the same length. Once they're gone, they stay gone for several weeks. It's a little painful at first, especially on the upper lip since the hairs are being yanked out at the roots...but you quickly get used to it and it doesn't bother you for long. It also comes with a cream that you apply after you tweeze, to discourage regrowth.

I have the same problem with an explosion of foliage. I've long suspected that I have PCO, but my doc hasn't really been concerned, what with all the other crap I have going on.

[mbrogier]

I've thought about trying the Vaniqua. I've *always* had a lot of stray eyebrow hairs, so waxing is an absolute must for me. If there was a cream that would make the hairs come back in less thick and not so dark, I would love that.

I also have a lot of fine hairs on my upper lip. It's enough that I have to wax and not tweeze. I do tweeze my chin.

I have noticed that the hairs on my legs are getting finer and fewer--I used to have to shave a couple times a week because I hated the feel of all the stubble.

Now that I'm 6 months into menopause, I'm not noticing that my facial hair is worse, but it isn't any better, either.

I definitely had issues with my hormones. It's worth finding a doctor that will take those issues seriously because hormones control your entire body.

[blazedog]

I have noticed that the hairs on my legs are getting finer and fewer--I used to have to shave a couple times a week because I hated the feel of all the stubble.

Now that I'm 6 months into menopause, I'm not noticing that my facial hair is worse, but it isn't any better, either.



The lord giveth and taketh away -- one of the side effects of menopausal hormones is the reduced amount of hair growth that began with puberty -- i.e. pubic, underarm and leg hair -- offset by those pesky chin hairs.

My hairs really aren't enough for me to seek out medicine which seems to be about as effective as Rogrin is for hair growth :D Nair and the odd pluck of an errant hair works fine.

[joannah]

Question regarding the Nair. Do they make one for the face and when it grows back, does it grow back thicker and does it come in as stubbles? Does it feel like stubbles?

Oh how awful it is that here we are grown women and we have this to worry about and I just bet this is probably only the tip of the iceberg.
Oh me -oh my.:( But I hate this facial hair, I just hate it. I can't see up close and sometimes I will get a stray one and by the time I see it, I am pretty humiliated.:o My mother's chin sometimes gets terrible because she has macular degenerative disease and I have to tweeze her chin, when I see her and I think, will this be me in 30 years? Sigh. It is scary.
Joannah

[blazedog]

Question regarding the Nair. Do they make one for the face and when it grows back, does it grow back thicker and does it come in as stubbles? Does it feel like stubbles?



There is NAIR for faces - I don't know how it differs from regular which I haven't used in several years but the odor was far more pleasant.

It is a myth regarding hair growing in thicker or as stubbles -- hair is hair. When it is shaved, it is cut off above the surface so that you lose the taper and it might feel stubblier -- but it is perception. Waxing, NAIRing and tweezing pluck below the surface and waxing/tweezing take the bulb out so that the hair grows back with a taper (at least I think so).

i don't have a super amount of facial hair so NAIR seems to do the trick for me -- If I had the stereotypical Italian widow mustache and goatee, I would probably opt to have it lasered off or go to a good electrolysis technician.