Beauty Spot
Mood:  irritated
Topic: Facial Hair Removal


Ah, puberty. People who call the teenage years "the best years of their lives" forget about problems like unwanted facial hair! This is a common dilemma for many teens (and women of all ages, really). If you've got a 'stache, here are the top options for getting rid of it.

Waxing

This is one of the most popular solutions for hair removal. Generally, it's an effective method to remove hair on the upper lip. Waxing tends to create quite smooth and hair-free result, and hair takes 2 to 6 weeks to grow back, depending on the type of hair you have. The only caution is if you have darkish skin, because darker-skinned people can sometimes experience discoloration after waxing due to irritation. Prevent this by dusting the area with talcum powder before you wax, and applying a good (oil-free) moisturizing cream afterwards. Drugstore brands that work include One Touch Facial Strip Wax, Epil-Ease Pre-Waxed Depilatory Strips For Face and Brows, and Hair Off Facial Wax Strips. You can also have your upper lip waxed for a small price at many hair salons and beauty parlors.

Bleaching

If you have very fair skin, bleaching is an option. You can find bleaching creams in the same drugstore aisle as razors and depilatories. When used correctly according to package directions, these products gradually lighten facial hair (and any other body hair) to a lighter shade that blends well with fair skin, making the hair seem almost invisible. But - if you have a medium to darker skin tone, this won't work for you - the hair will just stand out in a different way.

Depilatories

Depilatory lotions are another alternative, but not one that I would personally recommend. They work by dissolving hair when you leave them on affected areas for the amount of time prescribed on the box. Hair generally grows back within a week to 10 days max. More importantly though, they tend irritate the skin and can cause ugly rashes. Plus, they usually don't remove all of the hairs.

Tweezing

Some women choose to tweeze unwanted hairs, but this isn't an ideal solution because repeated plucking can cause irritation of the hair follicle and lead to breakouts or even scarring. Also, the regrowth can look stubbly. Unless you have just a few stray hairs that occasionally pop up, avoid tweezing unwanted hair.