I hope some of you can help or shed some light on this:
I'm a black woman. I've got hair on my chin, chest and well ... on the rest of my body I'm quite hairy. I have a problem on my chin, and I'm not sure how to resolve it. I've waxed (warm wax without strips only) my chin area for years, it's not ideal but it's the best method I have found.
The thing is, I can't seem to get rid of the bumps. I've always used tea tree oil after waxing to appease the skin and to limit ingrown hairs and all that. That's what my old beautician suggested. I've also used various products aimed at reducing bumps...to no avail. They're still there and they're very small. Does anybody know of a method to fix this?
I'm also struggling with the marks. I can wax the hair off no problem. But I think anybody who looks at me would still see that obviously something's going on there. I am particularly annoyed @ being stopped in malls and pharmacy by sales people who want to sell me a product to "clear" my skin. In an attempt to fix this, I bought a skin lightening cream that I only used in that area (yeah I was disgusted at myself). I used it for less than 2 weeks, it was lightening my skin, but not the marks. It didn't even make sense.
Right now, I use black soap for cleaning my face. I use a daily microfoliant by dermalogica and raw shea butter to moisturize my face. I also still use tea tree oil before and after waxing.
I'm so self conscious about this. It's really stoping me from leading a normal life. All I've done these years is to stay on top of my symptoms and obviously it's not working. I just want to hide for the rest of my life.
I'm currently wary of seeing a dermatologist. I'd like to find a reputable one, and an expert in black skin. I've had my share of incompetent specialists, so I'm waiting. I don't know about laser because I've done it like 8 years ago and was totally traumatized by the whole thing. I did a test and my skin felt like it was burning despite the anesthetic cream they applied. I don't ever want to do that again... Can't afford it today anyway.
I'm interesting to know what your methods are. What do you do to keep your skin clear and smooth there? I'm at loss
flowerchild - I'm sory about what you're going through, but I can relate. I have a lot of chin hair. However, I don't wax, I shave. I actually apply bikini zone after each shave and that seems to help minimize the bumps for me. I still get some of course, but not as many. I don't know if it will work as well for you since you're waxing, but it couldn't hurt to try. I tried tweezing a few years ago and it did horrible things to my skin. I had too many bumps to count and they were all infected. The bikini zone didn't help that, so I tried an aspirin mask. I actually just crushed up some regular old aspirin and mixed it with Bactine and applied that mixture to the area. It really helped me, but I realized after that that I cannot use any method that actually pulls the hair out by the root. My skin just doesn't respond well to that. As for the marks, I haven't found anything over the counter that helps with diminishing them at all. So for now I just use make up to cover as much as possible. I would like to eventually go to a dermatologist, but it's just not in the budget right now. So I do what I can at home to try to make it all a little less noticeable, but I certainly understand how discouraging it can be. I hope this has been of some help to you.
Ohhh.. stay away from those skin lighteners! They will change the melanin levels and pigmentation of your skin. Good old fashioned cocoa butter is good for evening your skin tone. This site sells it in large white containers by the pound. http://www.oilsbynature.com/products...ed-refined.htm
What kind of black soap are you using? Some black soaps are just regular soaps with black dye. Those are phonies. Real black soap is chunky and looks like oatmeal. I find that it burns a little but it really clears up my skin more than anything else. I have found Dudu Osun Black Soap to be the absolute best thing for clearing up my skin and also smoothing out the complexion. Here's a site that sells it..http://www.okaforworld.com/dudu_buy_...u_buy_now.html
@ Kat:
I can't afford laser treatment at the moment, but I'll keep the option open. I know it might eventually become my only option.
For anti-androgens I first tried saw palmetto berries and it made my facial hair worse. I thought giving it time will make it work, but after 3 months I stopped. I then bought saw palmetto extract hoping it would be better, but it also didn't help. It made things worse but not as much as with the berries. I am taking vitex and drinking spearmint & chamomille tea 4-5 times a week. I've seen a slight improvement but it's not what I would like. I currently have to wax once a week. Thanks for the cream suggestion!
@ Kindred:
thank you for your suggestions! One question: how long did it take to see results? how did that work on smaller bumps? Last year I heard of men using that method, so I did try (didn't add anything else) but I guess i was too impatient because after one use it didn't make a lot of difference with my small bumps. I left it on for 5 min. How many times a week do you do it? I should try this again.
@ Ms_Peaches:
I agree with you, I'm not touching a skin lightener ever again! lol it made my skin look really weird only after 2 weeks use. I started using dudu osun though! However I read on another forum that it's not "real" black soap. Real black soap or not, it's helping!
I totally forgot about cocoa butter. I was thinking of making my own light shea butter cream, blended with a little neroli essential oil and vitamin e to help fade the spots. I might as well just use cocoa butter (thanks for the links!).
So far flaxseed oil and drinking lots of water and tea is helping. I find my skin less dry these days.
@ Karmiel:
I tweeze in between waxing sessions, but yeah it creates more bumps and more spots. I don't know what the perfect method is. I started waxing because I was told it took off the hair from the root, thus will weaken the root and will diminish growth. After nearly 10 years of waxing I think I've got even more hair than before. And the hairy area extended. I suspect tweezing might do the same thing over time. Have you tried shaving? I'd like to try it again ... I hate feeling that stuble at the end of each day, and i'm terrified of my chin looking like a man's. But I think with proper skin care it won't get to that. If other ladies are doing it, it's probably manageable. hmm we'll see
Has any of you ladies tried the epicure? does it cause skin hyperpigmentation?
Thank you all for you help ladies, it means a lot to me I've got many options to look into, thanks!
@ Kat:
I can't afford laser treatment at the moment, but I'll keep the option open. I know it might eventually become my only option.
Prices vary widely from market to market, so you still might want to check around now to get an idea on price just for your chin area. Tell the places to let you know when they are running any specials. In one treatment can make significant difference in the density of the hair.
In my experience, doctor's offices are less expensive than 'laser spas'. Where I go now, in Raleigh, NC... to have the chin done is $75. But in Charleston, SC (where my technicial used to work), the chin was $150. So shop around...
If you travel at all for work, check the prices in the cities you visit...if they're a lot cheaper, have the work done there (or tell them to alert you to any specials)
Quote:
Originally Posted by flowerchild
For anti-androgens I first tried saw palmetto berries and it made my facial hair worse. I thought giving it time will make it work, but after 3 months I stopped. I then bought saw palmetto extract hoping it would be better, but it also didn't help.
Do you strength train? That can have a profound impact on your androgens, and in some cases help with hair growth, when combined with things that other cysters have tried like spearment tea and/or ground flaxseed.
Some of what you're seeing in the dark spots is collagen, and some is hair trapped underneath the skin. Literally the only thing that has worked for me to fade them is an Rx cream that combines a lightener and Retin-a. I only had to use it for 2 weeks, and the spots were gone.
hth
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Hey, SoulCysters! Need to eat more veggies, but can't find recipes??
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@ Kindred:
thank you for your suggestions! One question: how long did it take to see results? how did that work on smaller bumps? Last year I heard of men using that method, so I did try (didn't add anything else) but I guess i was too impatient because after one use it didn't make a lot of difference with my small bumps. I left it on for 5 min. How many times a week do you do it? I should try this again.
It has been a while since I used the aspirin mask, so I can't remember exactly how many times I used it. It was just on an as-needed basis. I do know that I let it stay on for more than 5 minutes though. I can't say exactly how long, I just put it on and then did other things around the house. So I probably left it on for a couple of hours and then rinsed it off. I'm not sure what you mean by small bumps, but my bumps were primarily ingrown hairs caused by tweezing, and it helped mine a great deal. If you decide to try it again, keep in mind that the aspirin can be drying so you will want to use a moisturizer after.
Thanks flowerchild. Ive tried waxing but the hair is too coarse and wont budge. Tweezing is all i know to do. Financially laser is out of my budget. ive had it up to my head with the hair....
I am a black british gal and I have tried laser here in the UK at a hospital rather than beauty clinic. I had a treatment every 8 weeks using a Nyag or Nd:Yag laser, i can't quite remember now. it was great for leaving me hair free on my chin area for about 4 weeks before it started to grow back and I do have a couple of bald patches under there now, that's after 4 treatments.
I stopped as I did not follow the laer technichans instructions, I was meant to wear factor 30 sun block at all times and avoid the sun, but I absolutley love the sun and gardening so I did not follow the advice which ended up with me getting burnt by the laser, after that I stopped going. My friends mum however is a similar complexion to me and never had any problems as she followed the advice and it has worked wonders for her.
I am probably going to go back and give it another bash, I do not have my hormones under control as I am thinking about ttc soon and the technician has said that I will need to do this to get long lasting effects, so this will probably have to wait until after baby. Which is why I am thinking about electrolysis too, hmmm.
At the moment I shave once a fortnight, to be honest I don't think anyone notices too much and if they do they don't say anything or stare which works for me, if they did they would soon wish that they hadn't anyway, LOL!
I am also a black woman. I'm curious do any of you have full beards? I do and it has only gotten worse since I got pregnant.
What do you use to cover up your shadows? I have medium brown skin and my shadow is quite dark and easily noticeable. I was using dermablend, but because my skin is so oily, it ended up sliding off and if i tried to touch it up during the day, the places that I touched up usually turned out looking much much lighter than the rest of my face. I also have in grown hair galore and the dark spots that are impossible to get rid of.
__________________ Me 36
3 miscarriages 2004
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4/2/09 +HPT
Met 3x750, Klexane 80ml 2xd,asp 81mg,cal.286g,iron 100
heartbeat seen 4/14,16,24,28&5/5,18,28,2,9/6 hb=176 28.5 hb=161.86, 6.2&9 hb=154.8
b6/29 baby 185g,7/28 343g IT'S A BOY!!!! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. 7/6-hb=150
Congratulations on the pregnancy I pray that everything goes to plan for you.
I do have hair all the way down the sides of my face and from the tip of my chin going back to the top of my neck, I refuse to use the 'b' word, I have always thought of it is feminine facial hair. I just have a little more than most LOL!
I don't really try and cover it up, I just remove the hair regularly. I had no idea what dermablend was, I had to google it! I am not one for make up really and I get up so early every morning as it is i just couldn't get up any earlier to put on makeup.
I am putting bio oil on my face in the evening to try and treat any dark areas on my face however I have not been doing this very long as I don't get many ingrowns. Do you exfoliate regularly? I do it 3 times a week which may be why I only get the odd one now and again. I am going to give blend electrolysis a go in October which is likley to leave me with some marking, I will carry on with the bio oil and let you know how effective it is.
I was hoping when I am, pregnant the hair would decrease, this is what happened to my mum, but hey as long as I can have a baby I will pretty much put up with anything.
Thanks flowerchild. Ive tried waxing but the hair is too coarse and wont budge. Tweezing is all i know to do. Financially laser is out of my budget. ive had it up to my head with the hair....
Have you tried shaving with a men's-type electric razor? Very quick and easy.
I do have hair all the way down the sides of my face and from the tip of my chin going back to the top of my neck, I refuse to use the 'b' word, I have always thought of it is feminine facial hair. I just have a little more than most LOL!
I don't think it would make much sense anway to use the 'b' word if you only need to shave every two weeks. I wouldn't describe that as a beard at all -- just slightly heavier hair growth than average for a woman. I wouldn't even describe it as beard growth unless one were shaving more than twice a week.
Yes, I use the term beard with regard to my own facial hair, but then I have to shave it at least once a day, so mine is certainly within the typical male range.
You can be glad you haven't got anything that could properly be described as a 'b' :-)
I envy you. I have a full fledged beard. I can share some of mine with you LOL
Oh i'm sorry. I should have explained what it is. I just assumed everyone knew. Is your hair noticeable after it is removed?
I don't exfoliate at all. I have oily skin and large pores (wow i'm making myself out to sound like a real dog). I've read that exfoliating is the worst thing you can do for my skin type. On the bright side, I don't have wrinkles.
I tried electrolisys many years ago to no avail. The hair just grew back thicker and faster. And it was incredibly painful. I was also using s depilatory, but now that I am pregnant, I don't want to use any chemicals. So, I shave.
As far as hair decreasing when pregnant. i think for some it does. I'm just one of the unlucky ones that had it speed up and grow thicker.
you might be lucky
Quote:
Originally Posted by dreamscometru
Hey Acajou73,
Congratulations on the pregnancy I pray that everything goes to plan for you.
I do have hair all the way down the sides of my face and from the tip of my chin going back to the top of my neck, I refuse to use the 'b' word, I have always thought of it is feminine facial hair. I just have a little more than most LOL!
I don't really try and cover it up, I just remove the hair regularly. I had no idea what dermablend was, I had to google it! I am not one for make up really and I get up so early every morning as it is i just couldn't get up any earlier to put on makeup.
I am putting bio oil on my face in the evening to try and treat any dark areas on my face however I have not been doing this very long as I don't get many ingrowns. Do you exfoliate regularly? I do it 3 times a week which may be why I only get the odd one now and again. I am going to give blend electrolysis a go in October which is likley to leave me with some marking, I will carry on with the bio oil and let you know how effective it is.
I was hoping when I am, pregnant the hair would decrease, this is what happened to my mum, but hey as long as I can have a baby I will pretty much put up with anything.
__________________ Me 36
3 miscarriages 2004
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4/2/09 +HPT
Met 3x750, Klexane 80ml 2xd,asp 81mg,cal.286g,iron 100
heartbeat seen 4/14,16,24,28&5/5,18,28,2,9/6 hb=176 28.5 hb=161.86, 6.2&9 hb=154.8
b6/29 baby 185g,7/28 343g IT'S A BOY!!!! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. 7/6-hb=150
black women with hairy chin - please help 
I've got many options to look into, thanks!
ag or Nd:Yag laser, i can't quite remember now. it was great for leaving me hair free on my chin area for about 4 weeks before it started to grow back and I do have a couple of bald patches under there now, that's after 4 treatments.
