Excessive facial hair on women is regarded as unattractive and unappealing among the trendy and fashionable. Although some individuals from various culture and race groups view hair growth as aesthetically acceptable and allow their hair to grow naturally, there is an increasing trend to remove facial hair even among these more conservative groups. Excessive facial hair usually occurs due to the genetic make-up of the individual, medication such as anabolic steroids which causes an increased in hair growth and hormonal imbalances during puberty, pregnancy and menopause. If the hair growth in a woman is thick (terminal hairs), then this may be a condition known as hirsutism. The male hormones in men causes thick facial hair growth after puberty and is seen as a natural part of manhood.

The structure of the hair varies in colour, length and thickness and hair consists of a hair follicle, shaft and root. The hair structure is enclosed in the hair follicle of the skin with the hair root at the base of the hair. The visible hair that lies on the surface of the skin is called the hair shaft. The hair cycle occurs in three stages :

• Anagen stage is the active phase of hair growth which is the long ‘growing’ phase.
• Catagen stage is the transitional phase betweem anagen and telogen stages which is short term.
• Telogen stage is the resting phase of the hair. At this stage the hair tends to shed before the appearance of new hair growth.

Hair removal can be broadly divided into temporary and permanent hair removal techniques. Temporary hair removal include methods such as bleaching, waxing, shaving, threading, tweezing and the use of depilatory creams whilst permanent hair removal involves electrolysis and laser treatments.

Hair Removal Methods

Bleaching

This method uses chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide to ’strip’ the hair of its natural color. Bleaching is an effective method to disguise unwanted hair in large areas by camouflaging the hairs to blend into the skins complexion. Since the hair is not removed with the process of bleaching it provides an effective and painless method. Bleach should not be used on skin infections, cuts, blisters, sunburn, dry and flaky skin. Skin types that are prone to allergies should have bleach applied on a small area to test for skin reactions. After a period of 24 to 48 hours the area should be checked for any reactions. Long term use of bleach can result in pigmentation and skin irritation

Waxing

Waxing is a popular method of hair removal as the hair grows back soft and fine. Hair is removed from the root resulting in the regrowth starting 2-3 weeks after treatment. A wax treatment should not be done if there are cuts, bruises, infections or skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema. Individuals who are on medication such as isotretinoin (Roaccutane is a common brand) should avoid waxing.

Shaving

Shaving is a quick, convenient and cost effective method of hair removal. This method uses a razor and shaving mediums such as foam, soap or lotion to cut the hair on the skins surface (hair shaft). While this is more popular among men for facial hair removal, shaving is also used by some women who suffer with hirsutism or hypertrichosis although this should be discouraged as it may increase the likelihood of thicker hair growth.

Shaving however can result in cuts, ingrown hairs, dry and itchy skin.

Tweezing

This method is effective in the removal of hair from small areas. Tweezing is a quick method that removes hair from the root. However if tweezing is not done properly it can result in stubble and ingrown hair pimples or folliculitis.

Threading

This method originated in India and uses a piece of thread or cotton to remove hair from the root. The re-growth of hair is fine with the possible occurrence of ingrown hairs.

Depilatory Creams

This is a painless method that uses a chemical to dissolve the hair at the root. The cream is applied to the skin and removed 5 to 15 minutes later. The side effects include skin irritation due to allergic reactions and possible pigmentation with long term use.

Laser

Laser is a permanent method of hair removal that retards hair growth by targeting skin pigments (melanin). This treatment is ideal for light skinned individuals with dark hair growth. However the procedure is costly and there is no guarantee of permanent hair removal.

Electrolysis

Electrolysis uses the insertion of a sterilized needle into the individual hair follicle. An electrical current is passed to the root of the hair resulting in the ‘burning’ of the root. Many treatments are required making this method expensive and time consuming.