I have hair on my face on the sides of my cheeks not-so-lovingly known as my "sideburns". I guess my question is what is the best way to get rid of it? Is there anything permenant? Any temporary treatments you would recommend? Thanks in Advance!
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I have hair on my face on the sides of my cheeks not-so-lovingly known as my "sideburns". I guess my question is what is the best way to get rid of it? Is there anything permenant? Any temporary treatments you would recommend? Thanks in Advance!
If you look through past posts you'll find that there are many different answers -- different answers suit different individuals who have different needs and different patterns of hair growth.
My take on it is as follows:
If there's not too much of it, do you really need to do anything? You're probably more conscious of it than the people you meet are.
If you do decide you have to do something, then there isn't a simple answer and there's a lot of misleading "information" around.
Facial (and also body) hair on women comes about because of
1) your body being sensitized, before you were even born, to testosterone -- doesn't happen to all girls, but does to many
2) your body producing high levels of testosterone
The growth rate and coarseness of the hair depends on just how much testosterone is circulating in your bloodstream.
Steer clear of bleaching -- when someone sees you against the light you'll look as if you have a glowing moustache and/or beard.
As far as removing it is concerned it's worth remembering that
* Waxing, plucking, threading, epilating all pull the hair out by the roots and where the growth is hormonally-driven can actually stimulate a dormant follicle into producing more hair quicker. They also distort the root if done repeatedly, leading to hair growing at strange angles. And you've got to let the hair grow to quite a length before you can repeat the exercise. It can also damage the skin and discolor it. Long-term use of waxing also causes bad wrinkles.
* Chemical depilatories strong enough to remove the hair are very likely to burn the skin, cause swelling and cause long-term discoloration of the skin.
* Laser is also liable to cause burning and discoloration and in any case only works effectively on a dark hair/light skin combinantion.
* Electrolysis is very liable to cause scarring and discoloration of the skin.
Which, like it or not, leaves shaving which does not damage the skin. Best done with a men's-style electric razor, the best of which, in my view, for women, are probably those from the men's range of Norelco razors (Philishave outside the US). The Norelco name is actually being phased out and they're currently branded with both the Norelco name and the Philips name.
Definately shaving! I plan on getting laser eventually, but until I do, shaving is the way to go!
When I pluck, I get a ton of ingrown hairs, which in turn makes my acne look 100% worse.. and the zits on the side of my face I think attract more attention than the sideburns
Chemical stuff (nair) always burns my skin, even the sensative kind... and makes it look stupid too.
So I just use an electric razor every morning before I jump in the shower!
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i bleach at the moment but needing to try something else, im scared of what to do next as the rest of my face is peach fuzz and some dark strays on cheeks so ive not many options unless i remove everything
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Like Joyblack says, it's tough to answer that. I personally did electrolysis, which worked great for me, but a lot of other sisters do not like it. It all depends on your skin type and the coloring of your skin.
although it's not permanent, shaving is always everyone's best bet. It's cheap and easy and you are sure to get the results!
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although it's not permanent, shaving is always everyone's best bet. It's cheap and easy and you are sure to get the results!
That just about says it, as far as the practical side of it is concerned.
The problem isn't with shaving itself, it's with the idea of shaving one's face.
We accept without question the fact that at least in America it's normal for a woman to shave her legs, so shaving our legs presents no psychological problem.
The difficulty comes with the fact that shaving the face is presented to society as a "male" thing to do. Indeed the "politically correct" view of things is that women don't have moustache or beard growth (whereas most women will have some growth at some point in their lives and many have growth almost comparable to males -- ask any doctor who's a family practitioner). If we can accept that what we have is actually moustache and/or beard growth, then the idea of shaving becomes logical -- after all that's the generally accepted answer to moustache and beard growth. But for many (maybe most) women, recognising facial hair as moustache or beard growth is a step too far and they prefer to avoid shaving because they reckon it would be tantamount to recognising their facial hair as a moustache/beard growth/sideburns.
It's a personal choice. For me, there's never been any way of denying that my growth is so heavy that it's a moustache (and nowadays beard growth on my chin), so for me shaving is the answer. Other people see things differently.
I found shavin works the best but then it grows back darker. One other thing is how do you do it when u are campin andn o private bathrooms to do it in???
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I've had "sideburns" since I was a child. I don't believe that it was related to hormones, but more to genetics as I am half Greek and half Italian (we are hairy people ) I used to wax and now I am doing laser. I've done three treatments so far and I'm very pleased with the results so far.
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Mini Goal- 140- REACHED 7/28/08!!! New Mini Goal- 130! - REACHED 10/10/08!!! 27 years old- no meds- trying to get healthy through diet and exercise
You are not alone.I sometimes tell my hubby if this hairgrowth doesn't stop I will match him with a go-tee pretty soon.Not funny though for me at least!!! I have been bleaching my upper lip,chin,neck and jaw line now for a year. It seems to help keep the hair alot lighter and not so noticable unless the light hits me a certain way.(my hair unfortunately is very dark)I also have been using Vaniqua Cream.It is expensive $79 a tub,insurance doesn't cover.It seems to work well on my upper lip and chin.It doesn't take the hair away just lessen the growth rate. I haven't tried anything else,plucking but that I just heard makes your hair growth worse and once you start you can't stop doing it. I also might try waxing but am not sure b/c once you start that too you can't stop.I am not sure about laser.The doc.said to me that nothing is permanant!! So I don't know. Let me know if you find anything.I would love to be hair free on my face other parts of my body I can deal with b/c only me and my hubby see them,but my face drives me crazy!!!!!
Good luck
The difficulty comes with the fact that shaving the face is presented to society as a "male" thing to do. Indeed the "politically correct" view of things is that women don't have moustache or beard growth ... But for many (maybe most) women, recognising facial hair as moustache or beard growth is a step too far and they prefer to avoid shaving because they reckon it would be tantamount to recognising their facial hair as a moustache/beard growth/sideburns.
Joyblack, I think you hit the nail right on the head with this idea! I agree with you because I have felt this way for the longest time...I cringe everytime I think about putting a razor to my face because of this very thought deeply ingrained in my system.
Thanks for Cysterl like you who 'keep it real' and encourage us to face our issues, deal with them and get on with enjoying life!
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I use clippers, I always hear that razors will really mess up your skin. One of my co-workers who grows facial hair goes and get her face threaded. I am thinking of trying that. Its inexpensive compared to everything else.
I have been fighting the facial hair demon for the last 14 years. I used to bleach until high school and then I tried dipilitory. I was fine with that until I was 22 and was diagnosed with PCOS. By that point, I was shaving nearly twice a day - once in the morning and once at night (if I was going out). I had my first bout with laser hair removal in 2003 and it was horrible. The plastic surgeon I went to was clueless with the laser and left me with a slight red spot next to my nose - of all places. So I gave up on that until the following spring, after I got engaged. My mom had me go to an electrolycst (I can't spell that) who also specialized in laser hair removal. I went and had my cheeks, lip, jawline, neck, and my chest done. I have had about 9 treatments and will continue to follow a "maintenance plan". It has made me way more confident and I would highly recommend it to anyone else. You just have to be sure that if you do it, that they give you a prescription for a type of Lidocaine. What my girl has me do is this: Two hours prior to treatment I have to cover the areas to be done with a very thick layer of EMLA (generic form of Lidocaine). Then, this is going to sound totally goofy: I have to cut up pieces of saran wrap and place them over the treatment areas. It helps to keep the rx from drying out and makes a huge difference during the actual procedures. After the laser hair removal, she always puts those cold packs on the treated area, and it feels wonderful! I usually am a little red for about an hour or so, but then am fine. The hair continues to fall out after the treatment - which is really nice to see the progress. I have been able to grab hairs with my nails and just pull it out with no pain at all. I can honestly say that I have seen at least a 65% decrease in regrowth. Every time I go, it hurts less and less and the hair grows back lighter and way finer, if any grows back at all. Like I said, I would highly recommend this to anyone, but you have to do your research first. My girl that does mine happens to be a member of a PCOS organization here im Ohio, so she has been a great help to me in regards to my PCOS too. I hope this helps
I use clippers, I always hear that razors will really mess up your skin. One of my co-workers who grows facial hair goes and get her face threaded. I am thinking of trying that. Its inexpensive compared to everything else.
Clippers are fine if they give you a result that's acceptable to you. Blade razors can be very hard on the skin. Men's-style electric razors aren't generally hard on the skin, but the most gentle of all are the men's range from Norelco/Philips.
Threading is ultimately a form of plucking, as is waxing.
Facial Hair Removal 
) I used to wax and now I am doing laser. I've done three treatments so far and I'm very pleased with the results so far.
Laser Hair Removal Testimonial 
for the last 14 years. I used to bleach until high school and then I tried dipilitory. I was fine with that until I was 22 and was diagnosed with PCOS. By that point, I was shaving nearly twice a day - once in the morning and once at night (if I was going out). I had my first bout with laser hair removal in 2003 and it was horrible. The plastic surgeon I went to was clueless with the laser and left me with a slight red spot next to my nose - of all places
. So I gave up on that until the following spring, after I got engaged. My mom had me go to an electrolycst (I can't spell that) who also specialized in laser hair removal. I went and had my cheeks, lip, jawline, neck, and my chest done. I have had about 9 treatments and will continue to follow a "maintenance plan". It has made me way more confident and I would highly recommend it to anyone else. You just have to be sure that if you do it, that they give you a prescription for a type of Lidocaine. What my girl has me do is this: Two hours prior to treatment I have to cover the areas to be done with a very thick layer of EMLA (generic form of Lidocaine). Then, this is going to sound totally goofy: I have to cut up pieces of saran wrap and place them over the treatment areas. It helps to keep the rx from drying out and makes a huge difference during the actual procedures. After the laser hair removal, she always puts those cold packs on the treated area, and it feels wonderful! I usually am a little red for about an hour or so, but then am fine. The hair continues to fall out after the treatment - which is really nice to see the progress. I have been able to grab hairs with my nails and just pull it out with no pain at all. I can honestly say that I have seen at least a 65% decrease in regrowth. Every time I go, it hurts less and less and the hair grows back lighter and way finer, if any grows back at all. Like I said, I would highly recommend this to anyone, but you have to do your research first. My girl that does mine happens to be a member of a PCOS organization here im Ohio, so she has been a great help to me in regards to my PCOS too. I hope this helps 
