Legend has it that some of historys most beautiful women, including Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor, shaved their faces. While this cant be substantiated, many of todays beauties are open about the benefits of shaving.

Every woman has facial hair. There are two types, vellus hair and terminal hair.

Vellus hair is the near-invisible peach fuzz that covers much of your face and body. Its role is to regulate temperature and evaporate sweat.

Vellus hair is very fine and translucent. If you scrutinize your face, especially in bright sunlight, you may be able to see vellus hair on your cheeks, forehead, upper and lower lips, neck, chin, and side burn area.

Terminal hair is darker and thicker. Some women have terminal hair along their upper and lower lips, sideburns, neck, and chin.

Facial shaving can be used to remove both vellus and terminal hair.

We go over the pros and cons of facial shaving for women, plus provide info on terminal hair growth and the conditions which might cause it.

In addition to removing hair, facial shaving can also be used as a mechanical (physical) exfoliator to remove dead skin cells. This can be a pro for some woman, but a con for others.

Before you take razor in hand, check out your skin. If you have conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, or acne, shaving may exacerbate irritation and discomfort. It may also lead to infection.

Sensitive skin, or skin that has red, irritated patches for any reason, may also not respond well to shaving.

If your skin is clear and can handle exfoliation, there are definite pros but also potential cons to shaving:

Shaving blunts the edges of hair, making it feel stubbly and coarse. This may create the illusion that hair has become darker or thicker.

Shaving facial hair, however, doesnt thicken it or change its color. It may make terminal hairs feel harder to the touch, until they grow out completely.

Facial shaving for women should be done differently than facial shaving for men. It also differs from the way you shave your legs and underarms.

To effectively shave your face:

Need the right facial razor? Here are two to buy online:

Other ways of removing facial hair include:

Unlike shaving which removes hair at the skins surface, waxing removes hair from underneath the skin, at the root.

It lasts longer than shaving, but carries some of the same risks such as causing ingrown hairs and skin irritation.

Waxing can be done at home, or in a salon by a professional. It can be uncomfortable or even painful for some people.

For waxing to work, hair has to be at least 1/4-inch long or else the wax cant grip it. If you have obvious terminal hair that youre self-conscious about, this may make waxing challenging to use on the face.

Laser hair removal is a long-lasting, semi-permanent solution for facial hair removal. It must be done by a professional, such as a dermatologist or licensed esthetician.

Laser hair removal can be expensive, but may provide many hair-free years for women with terminal facial hair, making it worth the expense for some.

Laser hair removal works by absorption of the laser within the hairs follicle. The pigment in hair attracts the laser beam to it, which is why its most effective in people with hair thats darker than their skin.

Since vellus hair is lightly pigmented and translucent, it cant be removed by laser.

Excess or dark facial hair can sometimes be the result of genetics. For example, certain ethnicities may include women that have more facial hair than others.

Medical issues and hormonal irregularities can also cause an overgrowth of facial hair to occur in women. These include:

If you have more than your fair share of facial hair, talking to your doctor may help provide additional insight and possibly medical solutions that will help alleviate the problem.

Facial shaving in women is more common than you might think. Its done to remove vellus and terminal hairs from the cheeks, chin, upper lip, and side burn areas.

Facial shaving also provides mechanical exfoliation, which can help skin look brighter and cleaner.

In order to shave your face effectively, you should use a tool designed specifically for this purpose.

If you have excess, dark hair on your face, there may be a medical or genetic reason behind it. In these instances, seeing your doctor may help to provide long-lasting solutions.

Read more:
Face Shaving for Women: Pros and Cons, Best Practice Tips - Healthline

Comments are closed.