When we talk about menopause, we spontaneously think of the stopping of periods, which can be seen as a good or a bad thing (depending on the relationship we had with it). “that time of the month”). However, the end of periods is just one notable consequence : among the potential side effects of menopause, there are also hot flashes, mood swings, headaches, dry skin… or even the appearance of hair in unexpected areas, as on the chin.
It is not It is also not uncommon to see the appearance of hair on cheekswhich can lead to complex, the latter being rather associated with men’s beards. We asked Dr. Laurence Netter, a dermatologist in Paris, to explain to us the cause of cheek hair during menopause and the right way to eliminate it.
Why do we have facial and cheek hair during menopause?
As is often the case with menopause, Hormones are responsible for the appearance of hair on the cheeks. : “During female life before menopause, the ovaries secrete estrogen and progesterone. At the same time, the body also secretes testosterone, the male hormone”explains Dr. Netter. “To the menopausethe synthesis of estrogens and progesterone decreases, while the secretion of testosterone changes little or not at all.” This then becomes de facto more important compared to other hormones.
Due to the reduction in ovarian secretion, “the balance between female and male hormones can be in favor of testosterone: we then speak of relative hyperandrogenism“a situation where the influence of androgenic (= male) hormones leads to the appearance of signs of virilization, in particular that of hair on hormone-dependent areas such as the chin, cheeks or the top of the upper lip.
Does cheek hair affect all women at menopause?
Spread the word : Not all postmenopausal women are affected in the same way by the appearance of facial hair and therefore on the cheeks. For some, it’s not even noticeable at all, while others may feel like they have a lot of it. “The appearance of hair occurs mainly in women whose cells are sensitive to testosterone”, explains the dermatologist. So, unsurprisingly, women who had lots of brown hair before menopause are more likely to see facial hair develop at menopause. Good to know: having already removed facial hair has no impact on possible hair growth in these areas.
What are the effective solutions to get rid of hair on the cheeks?
Good news : “Menopause hairs come off very easily, either with laser or electric hair removal“, says Dr. Netter, who points out that they are at the end of their lives. Therefore, for dark hairs, the laser is recommended. This may seem surprising because the laser is not always recommended on the face because of the risk of paradoxical regrowth (i.e. the fact of stimulating growth in areas surrounding those treated with the laser). However, this risk no longer exists at menopause (it exists especially in young women with hormonal problems such as polycystic ovaries), so you can start without risk.
“In the case of white or red hairs, the laser does not work, so you have to turn to electric hair removal or electrolysis“, advises the expert. This is hair-by-hair hair removal, where the hair follicles are destroyed using a micro-needle transmitting an electric current which will destroy the bulb: the process is a little more painful and longer than the laser. (several sessions are necessary to target all the hairs in the growing phase), however it is the only type of hair removal that can claim to be permanent.
What about hormone replacement therapy to reduce hair growth? For Dr. Netter, facial hair is not a reason for prescribing hormonal treatment (unlike hot flashes), as laser or electric hair removal are entirely effective for fix the problem.
Hair on the cheeks during menopause: what not to do
For the dermatologist, The thing you should definitely not do to eliminate hair on your cheeks is to shave them., because cutting the hair at the base makes it sharper and, in the case of down, can cause it to thicken. Obviously, dermaplaning is also prohibited.
On the other hand, it is entirely possible to bleach the hairs, because this does not impact their diameter (they may eventually grow a little longer, but as long as we no longer see them, this is not a problem ).