True enough, there’s nothing wrong with facial hair – it’s natural and utterly human. It can also be annoying for some, especially since it can make your skin look rough and ruins your makeup base. Take chin hair, for example. Although it may not take up a lot of space in your face, it is still noticeable and can be off-putting. Want to nip this hairy dilemma right in the bud? We’ve got you covered!
Below, we tackle everything there is to know about chin hair and how to get rid of it.
Why do I have chin hair?
To effectively remove these stray whiskers on your chin, it’s essential to understand the factors behind them. First, we’ll have to understand two types of hair in our body: vellus and terminal. The former is commonly known as ‘peach fuzz’, the fine, tiny hairs all over your face. Terminal hair, on the other hand, is thicker, longer, darker, and more deeply rooted. Basically, it’s what makes up the hair on your lashes, eyebrows, and head.
As you age, your hormones fluctuate and produce more androgens, aka male hormones. This pushes your body to grow more vellus hair on the face. Chin hair may also be because of genetics or certain medical conditions, like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and diabetes. In other cases, the sudden growth of chin hair is a side effect of medication. Medications like anabolic steroids or those who undergo chemotherapy can trigger chin hair growth. Similarly, those taking hormone therapy treatments may notice faster facial hair growth.
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How can I get rid of my chin hair?
Tweeze, shave, or wax it.
Tweezing, shaving, or waxing chin hair is a great temporary solution, especially if you don’t want to undergo medication. When done correctly, you can pluck the hair right from the follicle. However, it’s worth mentioning that these techniques may damage your hair follicles, so much, that they will eventually stop growing hair. You are also more prone to ingrown hair and hyperpigmentation, which leaves dark spots and scars on your skin.
Take spironolactone.
Spironolactone is a drug used to treat high blood pressure, liver failure, and kidney failure. However, it is also used to reduce chin hair growth as it can counteract the effects of androgens in the body. You can consult your doctor to ask for a prescription for spironolactone to deal with your chin hair. But since spironolactone is a drug, you’ll have to take it regularly to notice results. This is because it typically takes six months to see any difference in your facial hair.
Use depilatory creams.
If you don’t like shaving and hair loss prescriptions, then depilatory creams are worth a try! Depilatory creams contain alkaline ingredients to dissolve the hair beneath the skin. They are much gentler than using a razor, which slices away the hair on the surface of your skin. The alkaline ingredients in depilatory creams break down the keratin in your hair to weaken the strands. This will then turn your hair soft like jelly, so you can easily wipe them off.
Get a laser hair removal.
The best way to remove facial har? Laser hair removal is one of the top techniques because it offers permanent results. This procedure involves using lasers at certain wavelengths to destroy the hair follicles. It also destroys the melanin in your hair to prevent hair from growing back. However, laser hair removal is not for everyone: if you have dark skin, it can cause hyperpigmentation since it mainly targets melanin, which is abundant in darker skin.
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