Reduce/Stop facial hair growth help!
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free skin care · Mon Feb 06, 2006 9:47 pm

As bad it sounds what is the best to use to slow down/stop facial hair growth?

free skin care · Tue Feb 07, 2006 2:32 am

Hi thatgirl!

To my knowledge IPL is the most effective treatment. But you need to be fair skinned and have dark hair for it to work. It's pretty pricey as well. Do a search here and you will find several threads talking about hair removal.

I think it was hpjrt who has found that soy oil helps reduce hairgrowth as well... she uses the soy oil as shaving oil...

I feel for you. Facial hair can be so painful and distressing.

free skin care · Tue Feb 07, 2006 6:10 am

IPL is not for facial hair but for spots on you skin

free skin care · Tue Feb 07, 2006 6:39 am

it can also be used for facial hair and body hair, intensive pulsive light (IPL). Am quite sure about this as I've had it done... On the other hand there are several different similar procedures to IPL and I don't know which one is considered the most effective at the moment. [/img]

free skin care · Tue Feb 07, 2006 6:40 am

Ok, I didn't know that and I learned something new! Very Happy

Thanks Ruth

free skin care · Tue Feb 07, 2006 8:24 am

I use Vaniqua on my "unwanted" eyebrows. It is a growth inhibitor which must be applied twice a day. It is devised for any type of facial hair.

You apply the creme twice a day and continue removing hair via your preferred method. Please keep in mind that it takes six weeks to work. AND....you must continue using the creme once the desired effect is reached.

I have noticed less growth....probably 40%. I also use Vaniqua on my lower arms to reduce hair growth (eventhough it is made for the face). Must use sparingly, though....it is $40.00 a tube.

The only issue is that you must continue the regimine to perpetuate the results. Once you stop, the hair will resume its normal growth.

Good Luck

free skin care · Tue Feb 07, 2006 9:39 am

Thanks for the review belledivine. I've seen this advertised and was curious if it really worked. Too bad it's not permanent!

free skin care · Tue Feb 07, 2006 12:48 pm

if your hair is a result of hormonal issues/imbalances, the above treatments are expensive and more often than not do not work...believe me i've tried them all...my excess hair is homonally based and the only way to get rid of it is to shave it... Mad

free skin care · Tue Feb 07, 2006 1:16 pm

I use Vaniqua but my insurance will no longer cover it so I have been paying $60.00 plus a tube. It used to be only $10.00 a tube!!!

I was waiting to find something else.

free skin care · Tue Feb 07, 2006 3:10 pm

thatgirl- How frustrating (about the insurance and then price increase!)

I have a lot of facial hair on my chin. I could grow a goatee Laughing

. I pluck mine. A few years ago I had several electrolysis treatments and they worked for the most part. But then I grew more hair in more places. I really want to have laser treatment but can't afford it right now. Even though I am blonde (and have fine facial "fuzz" that is blonde) 95% of the long and coarse hair on my chin is really dark.

rosyface- How come you shave instead of plucking (that sounds like such a funny word)? Isn't that bothersome to do every day? Over the holidays when I was just going to be with my family I tried growing out my chin hair to see how much I really had all at the same time. So for a week or so I shaved so that it would mostly be at the same grow out point and then I was going to pluck it all at the same time in the hopes that I would only have to pluck once a week or whatever in the future. But the hair still grows back at different times so I am back to plucking almost everyday. Anyway, when I rubbed my chin I totally sounded like a man who rubs his 5 o'clock shadow. Couldn't stand it! Usually I have to pluck a few hairs every day and I guess that's just as bothersome too.

*sigh* if having the monthlies weren't enough for a women she has to deal with facial hair.

free skin care · Tue Feb 07, 2006 3:13 pm

AMNIS: i should clarify Smile

i shave the blond peach fuzz about 2 times per month and pluck the long darkies whenever they show up but sometimes the shaving also whacks off the darks and my face feels smooth for a day or so...then back to the plucking...

free skin care · Tue Feb 07, 2006 3:27 pm

rosyface wrote:

AMNIS: i should clarify Smile

i shave the blond peach fuzz about 2 times per month and pluck the long darkies whenever they show up but sometimes the shaving also whacks off the darks and my face feels smooth for a day or so...then back to the plucking...

Ah, I see. Smile

Do you think there is any truth in the theory that if you shave hair it will grow back coarser? Have you ever heard that? I also grow longer than usual fine blonde hair on my chin that I trim every few weeks. Duh, come to think of it, what would be the difference between shaving and trimming and the effect of making fine hair coarser? (Either way you are shortening the hair length.) Maybe I am mixing this theory up with waxing/plucking... Confused

Tue Feb 07, 2006 7:00 pm

Electrolysis works well for unwanted hair. I completely got rid of my underarm hair (YAY!). Make sure to find an experienced professional and never use Electrolysis while on Retin-A etc.
THT

free skin care · Tue Feb 07, 2006 9:04 pm

I had my underarms and legs done with an Alexandrite laser. It's not an IPL though, it's much stronger. After 5 sessions, I have very little hair left and the hair that's left is very fine. I'm very happy with the results. Best money I've ever spent.

free skin care · Tue Feb 07, 2006 11:19 pm

cloe-- what color is your skintone and the hair color? I am wondering because so many laser treatments only work on dark hair with light skin. Also with the Alexandrite were there hyperpigmentation marks or burns? How was the pain?

free skin care · Wed Feb 08, 2006 2:40 am

Quote:

rosyface
Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 8:48 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

if your hair is a result of hormonal issues/imbalances, the above treatments are expensive and more often than not do not work...believe me i've tried them all...my excess hair is homonally based and the only way to get rid of it is to shave it...

my hair is a result of hormonal issues, I have been diagnosed with PCOS. Since my teens I've had electrolysis on my upper lip (haven't done it for a few years now though, can't stand the pain anymore and my skin has turned too sensitive for it). I will vouch for that it works - but it takes time... The thing is, or at least I think this is how it is - the older you get the more hairy you get on your body. So it might seem as though the electrolysis doesn't make you less hairy, because new hairs have started growing in other nearby places.

Since I started taking the contraceptive Yasmin (given to me as medication) my facial hair is much softer and doesn't grow quite as quickly. I pluck the coarser and longer ones, and have started to (finally) accept the fuzz everywhere else. Luckily the coarser ones are on my chin, and not everywhhere else.

I have had all the fuzz on my face IPL'd, but it didn't help at all. It really pisses me off, cause the clinic shouldn't even have done it in the first place as (I found out later) for IPL to work hair needs to be coars - the fuzz just isn't "strong" enough to lead the light into the follicle and kill it off.

Just thought I'd share my experiences, and I hope they help some in deciding what to do. Sending all you fellow hairy girls my warmest thoughts.

free skin care · Wed Feb 08, 2006 11:13 pm

Hi Laurabeth,

My skin tone is light and my hair color is med. dark brown which does make me a good candidate for this type of hair removal. This type of laser can be used on darker skin types but they have to use less power and that means it takes longer to get good results. Also, the hair has to be darker than the skin.

Right after the procedure, the skin is raised and bumpy which is what you want because this means the hair follicle got a good zap. It starts going down right away and within an hour no more bumps. There's no marks or burns, but I went to a guy who trains people on how to use the lasers and he really knows what he's doing. You have to be really careful to go to someone who is qualified and has lots of experience.

The pain is pretty strong. I highly recommend going at a time not close to your m.cycle because this makes you way more sensitive. Before my last two treatments I took 3 extra strength Tylenol caplets which helped with the severity of pain.

Also, certain parts of the body hurt worse than others. The ankles are torture and the shins are pretty bad. The good news is the pain is only there when you're being zapped and it's gone as soon as they stop. You can temper it and they can stop in between to give you a breather. I prefer to just get it over with and tell them to just go until I say stop. They do have a pain numbing gel that they use on the face and bikini that's supposed to really help with the pain, but I did not use this as it can only be used on small areas of the body.

I really wish I had done this a long time ago. It's worth every penny and all the pain. Very Happy

free skin care · Wed Feb 08, 2006 11:33 pm

cloe wrote:

Hi Laurabeth,

My skin tone is light and my hair color is med. dark brown which does make me a good candidate for this type of hair removal. This type of laser can be used on darker skin types but they have to use less power and that means it takes longer to get good results. Also, the hair has to be darker than the skin.

Right after the procedure, the skin is raised and bumpy which is what you want because this means the hair follicle got a good zap. It starts going down right away and within an hour no more bumps. There's no marks or burns, but I went to a guy who trains people on how to use the lasers and he really knows what he's doing. You have to be really careful to go to someone who is qualified and has lots of experience.

The pain is pretty strong. I highly recommend going at a time not close to your m.cycle because this makes you way more sensitive. Before my last two treatments I took 3 extra strength Tylenol caplets which helped with the severity of pain.

Also, certain parts of the body hurt worse than others. The ankles are torture and the shins are pretty bad. The good news is the pain is only there when you're being zapped and it's gone as soon as they stop. You can temper it and they can stop in between to give you a breather. I prefer to just get it over with and tell them to just go until I say stop. They do have a pain numbing gel that they use on the face and bikini that's supposed to really help with the pain, but I did not use this as it can only be used on small areas of the body.

I really wish I had done this a long time ago. It's worth every penny and all the pain. Very Happy

Would you mind me asking how much you paid for each treatment and how many treatments it took?

TIA

free skin care · Thu Feb 09, 2006 12:11 pm

Hi Amnis,

It was $300 for the lower legs and $125 for the underarms. The price varys depending on size and shape of the area/person. I had five sessions. They say 4 to 5 treatments for 75% reduction. You can keep going back if you want to be completely hair free. But keep in mind the hair has to be dark and course for it to really work well. You can't go tanning in the sun or wax during the course of treatment either.

FYI- about 5 years ago I had my underarms done with an IPL laser. I saw an ad for $89.00 a treatment and I went 9 times. This reduced the amount of hair and the thickness of it but I still had to wax and the hair would start growing back in a week. Now, after using the alexandrite laser, there are only a few hairs that grow in that you would only notice if you look up close and I shave them off once a month.

free skin care · Thu Feb 09, 2006 12:42 pm

cloe wrote:

Hi Amnis,

It was $300 for the lower legs and $125 for the underarms. The price varys depending on size and shape of the area/person. I had five sessions. They say 4 to 5 treatments for 75% reduction. You can keep going back if you want to be completely hair free. But keep in mind the hair has to be dark and course for it to really work well. You can't go tanning in the sun or wax during the course of treatment either.

FYI- about 5 years ago I had my underarms done with an IPL laser. I saw an ad for $89.00 a treatment and I went 9 times. This reduced the amount of hair and the thickness of it but I still had to wax and the hair would start growing back in a week. Now, after using the alexandrite laser, there are only a few hairs that grow in that you would only notice if you look up close and I shave them off once a month.

Thanks for the info. Smile

That's not as bad as I thought. I will have to put that on my list of to do's when I get a good job.

I would love to have my chin and in-between-the-brows-area done. And I would very much love to have my lower legs and underarms done too. I will probably become addicted and have my bikini line done as well. I wish I could have my entire legs done but unfortunately my thigh hair is too blonde.

free skin care · Thu Feb 09, 2006 3:46 pm

In July of 2004, I started electrolysis treatments (chin & upper lip). For the first two-three months, I had them done every week. For the next three-four months every 10 days. For the following six months every 2 weeks, sometimes 2.5 weeks. Then, once per month, and now after 1.5 years, I have them once in three month (there are only a few hair left).

Thu Feb 09, 2006 9:53 pm

there's a product called kalo, it's a hair growth inhibitor. it's supposedly permanent if you keep on using it for awhile. i just bought one off ebay, i hope it works Confused

Mon Feb 27, 2006 5:25 pm

Jerdens seems to work for my sister, but not for me as much; I think the difference is in that she waxes legs and then uses the lotion and I shave, so less results for me.

not_her, I saw the same product (KALO Lotion) on eBay and wanted to buy it as well. Please let me know if it worked for you? Thank you.

free skin care · Mon Feb 27, 2006 9:00 pm

HAS ANYBODY USED ANY OF THESE????

Hair growth inhibitors:

GiGi Slow Grow Maintenance Lotion is a fast absorbing lotion that inhibits keratination. Used daily, this greaseless lotion retards hair growth while softening and smoothing the skin.

Keep it Bare for the body is the most natural and advanced way to prevent your hair from growing back after any method of hair removal (made with natural fruit enzymes )

Keep it Bare for the face is the most natural and advanced way to prevent your hair from growing back after any method of hair removal (made with natural fruit enzymes )

Surgi-Hair Stop a safe and effective hair growth retardant that works using biologically active enzymes and other natural ingredients.
After Wax hair inhibitor by Clean& Easy

Tue Jun 06, 2006 2:38 am

whats a good way to thin out hair im a guy with coars facial hair that is so thick it hurt i cant save when i do i rune my face with bad cuts and burns and after words half of its still there.. im so tired looking cut up and nasty.My hair is so thick it looks like fishing string and i dont know what to do any ideas?

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