What causes female facial hair, and how do they feel about it?
Everyone, regardless of age or gender, has the ability to grow hair all over their bodies. However, due to hormone levels—usually—men will have more body hair than women, but that doesn’t mean that female adults don’t grow body hair above the neck.
Our previous research on the nation’s hair removal habits found that facial hair on women is very common, with over half (53%) removing hair from their upper lip. In fact, the average female adult removes their upper lip hair 7 times a month—or roughly every 4 days.
Of course, everyone is different and where some of us will choose to remove our hair, others will keep it natural. But common questions we do see crop up are, what causes facial hair in women and why do some of us have more of it than others?
Below, the experts here at SmoothSkin explain the causes of female facial hair, as well as the top facial hair removal for women for those looking for methods.
Why do women grow facial hair?
We all have body hair, and hair growing on our face isn’t uncommon. Even if you think certain parts of your body are hairless, every area of our skin (excluding the palms of hands, soles of feet, and lips) has hair follicles. But the type of facial hair, its visibility, and the rate it grows is something that can be affected by plenty of factors such as age, genetics, and hormone levels.
There are two types of body hair:
- Vellus hair – which is fine, and will usually be referred to as ‘peach fuzz’
- Terminal hair – which is longer and thicker, and will be found on our armpits and pubic area
When our hormones change it’s normal for our vellus hair to turn into terminal hair on certain parts of our body. So, which hormones cause facial growth in females? Well, it’s the same hormone for men as well – testosterone.
Testosterone, also known as androgen, is the hormone that is responsible for producing body hair. Women also produce testosterone, they just traditionally have lower levels of the hormone, meaning lower levels of body and facial hair.
Female facial hair is normal, and most women will have vellus hair on their face. Some conditions can cause excessive vellus hair growth – for instance cushing syndrome can see more vellus hair grow on our face, neck and chest.
Terminal hairs are usually thick and darker, and it’s also common to see these sprout from your chin or neck.
Our genetics can mean we are more likely to grow terminal facial hairs, but this can also happen with age. Menopause, which usually takes place between the ages of 45 and 55, can trigger more chin, neck and facial hair on women and cause a decrease in existing body and pubic hair.
Unfortunately, these changes can affect our confidence levels as previous SmoothSkin research found that 60% of women felt negative emotions towards their body hair, and this rises to 64% when looking at women aged 45-54.
One in five women (22%) aged 45-54 also feel self-conscious about their body hair – the highest amongst any age group.
Should I worry about facial hair?
As mentioned, it’s totally normal to have the odd chin or neck hair, and it’s something we shouldn’t feel ashamed about.
However, sudden changes in your facial hair growth can mean that something has changed with your hormone levels. In rare cases, it can be that excess hair growth is caused by something that’s needing treatment, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), gland issues, or cysts.
PCOS causes a higher production of androgens, which can lead to hirsutism – hair growth which is more coarse, thick and dark than usual facial hair. For those with PCOS, Smoothskin have put together specific hair removal guidance for anyone wondering about what is best for their condition.
If you’re worried about new hair growth, it’s best to consult a doctor who can see whether it is being caused by a medical condition.
What’s the best way for women to get rid of facial hair?
There are plenty of different hair removal techniques, but what are the top ways to remove the odd chin hair? Well, we at Smoothskin will run you through some of the best facial hair removal for women depending on your lifestyle and maintenance levels.
Different methods of women’s facial hair removal for your lifestyle
- The “last-minute” method
If you’re in a rush, shaving your face is one of the quickest methods for women’s facial hair removal. However, it’s not a long-term solution and you’ll have to redo this every few days—so it’s only recommended for people happy to keep up with this maintenance.
And don’t worry—your facial hair also won’t grow back thicker or darker from shaving. Just be sure that you use a clean, fresh razor, as well as a shaving cream, to reduce your chances of ingrown hairs.
- The intermediate method
For those looking for slightly longer term results, you can also tweeze any single facial hairs. Be sure that you disinfect any tweezers, and pluck your hair in the direction that it grows.
Although tweezing can be uncomfortable, it shouldn’t cause any pain and offers longer term results than shaving—seeing you hair-free for up to 6 weeks.
You can also try waxing or epilating for female facial hair. Both of these methods may take slightly longer to perform but they remove hair from the root, allowing you to go longer in between treatments.
- The long-term method
For anyone looking for more long term solutions, laser facial hair removal or IPLs, can be the best way for women to get rid of facial hair.
After completing your initial treatment of the area, you can see permanent hair reduction when using IPLs—making it the perfect method for busy individuals who don’t want to have the upkeep of other hair removal methods. With facial treatment taking under 1 minute and clinically proven to give long-lasting results after 2 uses, it’s both a quick and low maintenance option.
Smoothskin devices are safe for facial use, although as with any IPLs you should follow your guidance leaflet and avoid your eye area.