The older you get, the bigger the problem you may have with unwanted facial hair. It can be a distressing and embarrassing problem, especially if you are over the age of 40. At that time women’s bodies produce less estrogen (the female hormone) and more testosterone (the male hormone) and that can cause an increase in the amount of facial hair you may have.

Your complexion and skin tone may also increase your problem with facial hair. If you have a darker skin tone, there is more of a chance that you will grow darker more obvious hairs on your face. Also, if you have thick hair on your head to begin with, the hair on your face and body will tend to be thicker as well.

The third factor that may cause you more problems with facial hair is the type of medication you may be taking. Side effects from medications like steroids, anti-depressants or even birth control pills can be contributing factors for unwanted facial hair.

If you do find that you have unwanted facial hair and you need to remove it, there are several ways you can deal with this problem. Here are your options:

Waxing

At home, you can use a liquid wax method where the wax is heated, applied to the skin hot and then stripped away using a cloth or strip. You can also a form of waxing strips which are paper strips that already have the wax attached to them. You simply heat the strips (commonly by rubbing with your hands), apply them to the area you want to remove the hair from, and pull quickly.

With the waxing method you need to be careful not to heat the wax up too much because you can burn yourself badly. You can get facial waxing strips and supplies at your local drug store. You can also get the facial waxing done professionally at salons.

Some experts feel that facial waxing can be too harsh for the delicate skin in the upper lip area and do not recommend this method for facial hair removal.

Depilatory Creams

Depilatory creams use chemicals to dissolve the hair from just below the surface of the skin. You should always test the cream you use on another area of your skin to check for an allergic reaction before applying it to your face. And, you should always be sure to use a product that is recommended for facial use.

Shaving

Although this method of facial hair removal is suitable for men, it is not recommend for women. Women’s facial skin is delicate and is not able to cope with the abrasions a razor could make. Also, shaving can leave stubble that may be just as unsightly as the facial hair.

Laser Hair Removal

You can use a laser hair removal treatment to remove your facial hair professionally. A laser delivers a high-intensity light providing heated energy. The heat damages or destroys the hair root. Be advised, however, that this method is not very effective on gray, white, blonde or light red hair as the laser targets the pigment.

Electrolysis

With this method, the hair root is destroyed by small amount of energy (or heat) that passes through a fine needle inserted into the hair follicle. This is usually done with professional treatments.

Threading

This method uses a length of looped cotton to catch the hairs and pull them out. This is a skilled and effective way to remove hair from the root.

Plucking

Using tweezers, the hairs are plucked from the facial area. This method can be time consuming and can be a little uncomfortable.

Epilators

These are electrical gadgets which use tweezing heads (similar to tweezers) that rotate over the skin to remove the hair as they go. The hair is pulled out from the root so that this method can be painful to use.

Whichever method you use, removing facial hair can be problematic. You can use a home product to do it yourself or you can consult your cosmetician or beauty consultant for the best method for you.