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Female Facial Hair Removal: The Peach Fuzz Dilemma

November 26, 2011

You might call it downy hair, baby hairs, or peach fuzz, but regardless of its name, fine blonde facial hair can prove to be a common cosmetic concern for women of all ages. Usually, when we’re talking about female facial hair removal, the treatment relates to more noticeable, unwanted facial hair on the chin or above the lip. When these hairs are dark and/or thick, they can be very difficult to successfully shave or wax, leading many women to choose laser hair removal or electrolysis to rid themselves of the facial hair once and for all. But what about when the female facial hair in question is barely visible at all? Yes, most women know that those light downy facial hairs can only be seen in direct sunlight or with very close inspection. And even then, they’re hardly the eyesores that a few dark upper lip hairs can be. Still, facial hair on a woman is always a tender topic. Is removing these fine hairs always the right aesthetic solution, or are those downy hairs harmless and even helpful to your appearance?

 

Option 1: Downy Hair Pride

 

For a representative of the pro-peach-fuzz side of the debate, women needn’t look any further than the 20th century’s most famous sex symbol, Marilyn Monroe. Many photographs taken of the actress reveal some very light, blonde facial hair on her cheeks and jawline, but according to some experts, Marilyn Monroe’s facial hair may have actually helped create the unique, luminous glow she displayed in so many pictures. Supposedly, those little downy hairs reflect the sunlight or camera light in such a way as to give the whole face a brighter appearance! Aside from this Hollywood cosmetic potential, fine facial hair also may serve a more practical genetic purpose, offering an extra line of defense for sensitive facial skin.

 

Option 2: So Long, Peach Fuzz

 

Still, for many women, facial hair is facial hair, and it’s got to go. Even if fine downy hair is hard to notice in most cases, women might be concerned about intimacy with the opposite sex, where self-consciousness in those up-close-and-personal moments can become a major issue. For these women, a number of viable options are available. First, of course, you could try one of the hundreds of at-home waxing or hair removal products available at your local drug store. Unfortunately, these tend to be hit or miss, and sometimes don’t even work as well on fine facial hair as they do on more noticeable, thicker hair. In either case, the results will be temporary.

Shaving is not a very good alternative. Why the notion that hair grows back faster and thicker after shaving is mainly just a myth, shaving only lops off the thin tops of the hair follicles, making the thicker parts of the hair more prominent as the peach fuzz returns. Waxing can remove the light hair more effectively, but of course, it can also hurt like the dickens.

Even electrolysis and laser hair removal can be tricky on fine facial hair. For the former, it can be very difficult to grasp and remove these light patches of hair one follicle at a time (as one must do with electrolysis). And with laser hair removal, some laser and IPL systems are not yet equipped to target blonde, red, or grey hair. However, this trend has been changing, as more advanced laser hair removal clinics now offer treatments for lighter hair, including stray hairs around the eyes, cheeks, neck, and chin.

 

Summing Up

 

To determine if a professional hair removal treatment might be the right move for you, contact us to schedule a free consultation with a hair removal specialist, Shumaila’s Hair & Beauty To Book A Free Patch Test – 0208 518 9090
. A licensed laser technician or dermatologist can answer your questions about female facial hair removal, and help you decide if a treatment can solve your problem, or if it’s time to embrace your inner Marilyn!

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Laser Hair Removal Side Effects

November 26, 2011

Laser hair removal, one of today’s most popular methods of unwanted hair removal, is, like any other hair removal method, not without its risks. Although it has proven very effective and safe for the majority of patients, laser hair removal can’t guarantee success for all skin and hair types. A patient’s individual skin conditions, hair density, skin color, as well as the type of laser being used for treatment can all have an effect on the final results. The side effects most often experienced by laser hair removal patients are minor and quite temporary. However, there are rare cases where more serious side effects can occur. By informing yourself of these side effects and their possible causes, you can decrease the chances of experiencing them during treatment.

 

Normal Laser Hair Removal Side Effects

 

Patients most often report experiencing these minor side effects during or following laser hair removal treatments:

 

  • Redness – after treatment, temporary redness of the skin can occur for 1-3 days on treated areas.
  • Swelling – slight swelling or irritation is possible at the follicle site post treatment, dissipating in 1-3 days.
  • Itching – itching or discomfort can occur on treated areas during laser sessions.
  • Slight Pain or Tingling – many patients report that the sensation of laser hair removal can be likened to the light snapping of a rubber band against the skin. While few find it painful, the sensation can vary depending on the sensitivity of a patient’s skin; for sensitive-skinned patients, most laser clinics provide a topical anesthetic cream or spray to numb the skin.

 

Rare Laser Hair Removal Side Effects

 

These side effects are experienced less often by patients, and should be brought to the attention of a doctor or laser technician if they persist after treatment:

 

  • Bleeding or Scabbing – sometimes laser hair removal can irritate hair follicles, such that slight bleeding or the formation of scabs occur. This is often only an issue when areas are being over-treated.
  • Infection – if treated areas aren’t cleaned and disinfected properly prior to treatment, and post-treatment, a minor infection can set in.
  • Bruising – patients with very sensitive skin may experience slight bruising on treated areas.
  • Burning – burns to the skin are most often the result of improperly performed laser hair removal, or because a laser was used inappropriately on a specific skin and hair type. In such cases, the laser’s energy gets absorbed by the skin rather than the hair itself and causes burns.
  • Changes in Skin Pigment – like burn side effects, hyperpigmentation (darkening of skin tone) and hypopigmentation (lightening of skin tone) are rare to occur if laser hair removal is performed by an experienced technician, and by using the correct laser technology. If the laser’s energy is absorbed by the skin tissue rather than the hair follicle, it can either stimulate or inhibit melanin production, thus darkening or lightening skin tone. While this side effect is painless, the results can be permanent unless corrected through other skin treatments. Both hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation are found to be a greater risk for tanned or dark-skinned patients.
  • Purpura – the appearance of small purplish spots, the result of bleeding underneath the skin, is a possible side effect for some patients, but it’s usually as temporary as bruising.

Because patients react to laser hair removal differently, the best way to decrease the likelihood of experiencing laser hair removal side effects, minor and severe, is to take certain measures.

 

Preventing Side Effects

 

  • Determine what your laser hair removal goals are, decide what treatment areas you are interested in exploring, and research the different laser hair removal options before scheduling a consultation with a hair removal provider in your area. This will better inform your decisions from the get-go, and enable Shumaila’s Hair & Beauty To Book A Free Patch Test – 0208 518 9090 to better assist you in realizing your hair removal goals.
  • Fully discuss your hair removal options with a laser specialist prior to treatment. An experienced technician or doctor is best qualified to analyze your specific skin conditions and hair type; then determine if the laser technology they provide will successfully and safely remove your unwanted hair. They will also be able to accurately inform you of the risks you’re susceptible to.
  • Have a professional laser hair removal provider perform your treatments, and follow all of their instructions before and after treatment to yield the safest, most successful results. By opting for an at-home laser hair removal kit, or by trusting a non-credible source to perform your laser treatments, you’re increasing the chances of enduring ineffective results and various painful or unattractive side effects.
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Threading and Laser Hair Removal

November 26, 2011

Threading is one of the newest western trends in professional hair removal, but it’s been a common practice in Middle Eastern cultures for dozens of years. Threading safely removes unwanted facial hair using just a bit of cotton thread. But is threading more effective or longer lasting than laser hair removal? As one of the most popular hair removal methods used today, laser hair removal is known for its ability to remove hair on a variety of body areas with long-lasting results. So what’s the difference between the two techniques? Which hair removal treatment is the right choice for you?

 

Threading Hair Removal Info

 

The threading method of hair removal is widely considered to be appropriate for sensitive skin, effective on all hair types, and is said to be less painful than waxing or tweezing. Threading is mainly used to remove unwanted facial hair rather than body hair, and its specialized technique makes it difficult to perform on yourself at home.

 

For the treatment, a very thin cotton thread or sewing thread is twisted tightly and manipulated back and forth to pull hairs out at the root. The threading technician will loop the thread between both hands and create twists in the thread’s middle portion. Then, the thread is placed on the skin’s surface and quickly worked back and forth to remove hairs in a line. For this reason, threading can be very good at removing hair in areas where precision is required, like the eyebrows.

 

Pros of threading hair removal include its low cost, low risk, painless reputation, and the treatment’s speed and convenience. Cons of threading hair removal are that results only last about as long as tweezing, it can cause redness and itching, or possibly folliculitis, and it can be difficult to find a professional threading provider in certain areas. Threading is also typically not offered as a body hair removal treatment.

 

Laser Hair Removal Info

 

Laser hair removal has been a popular cosmetic hair removal procedure in the U.S. for years. With its ability to remove unwanted hair for a variety of patients, and on virtually any area of the body, laser hair removal is commonly used by both men and women.

 

With the benefit of today’s advanced laser technologies, professional laser hair removal disables unwanted hair at the follicle through the use of heat and light energy. A laser hair removal provider will target hairs underneath the skin one at a time, while the laser’s energy locks onto hair pigments and then destroys the hair shaft. Depending on the patient, several treatment sessions may be required to achieve their best hair-free results, which can last anywhere from six months to two years depending on the number of treatments received.

 

The biggest benefit of laser hair removal treatments is the incredibly long-lasting results, which surpass the majority of today’s hair removal options, including tweezing, shaving, waxing, depilatories, threading and sugaring. The only hair removal technique that boasts longer results than laser hair removal is electrolysis; but even electrolysis has its downsides and side effects to be wary of.

 

For some patients, the biggest downsides of using laser treatments are the cost and the occasional inconsistencies when treating certain skin and hair types. The good news is that today’s range of hair removal lasers are equipped to remove hair for most skin and hair types; just be sure to check with your hair removal provider about the type of laser they use, and whether or not you are a candidate for laser hair removal at their clinic. Many laser hair removal patients also have questions about the pain factor involved with laser hair removal. This will vary from patient to patient, but the sensation is often likened to a rubber band lightly snapping the skin.

 

Which One is Right for Me?

 

Your decision to choose threading hair removal or laser hair removal will likely come down to your needs concerning cost, length of results, area of treatment, and the type and condition of your hair and skin.

 

Cost – Per treatment, the cost of laser hair removal is definitely more than the cost of threading hair removal. However, the total number of required treatments per year is much greater with threading. In other words, the cost difference between the treatments is greatly diminished when you’re realistically considering your hair removal treatment needs over a greater period of time.

 

Length of results – If the length of results is your chief concern, then laser hair removal has threading beat hands down. Some laser hair removal clinics even guarantee patients will experience no regrowth for up to two years after completing six hair removal sessions.

 

Treatment areas – Hair removal patients who are looking for a fast eyebrow shaping treatment may be very satisfied with the threading technique. For patients who want long-term hair removal for all treatment areas on the face and body, laser hair removal will usually be the better bet. Most threading hair removal providers will only treat facial hair.

 

Skin and hair type – Patients with lighter hair and dark skin, or incredibly fair hair in general, may find facial hair threading more of a convenient, sure-thing. While laser hair removal for dark skin and light hair types is offered, these treatments require specific lasers to be used, and the length of results is more subject to variation. Dark-skinned and/or light-haired laser hair removal patients may require more treatments to achieve their ideal results than will patients with dark hair and light skin. Check with your local hair removal provider to see if they carry a laser to treat your specific skin and hair type before seeking treatment.

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