You will surely have noticed that hair, and particularly that of women, is often the subject of much controversy. However, their presence is natural and keeping or removing them is a 100% personal choice. Armpits, legs, bikini line, nipples, stomach… Women also have hair on several areas of the body, and that’s normal. Above the lips we also find them, it is the famous mustache. And if again, men rarely worry about it, this is not the case for all women. If some decide not to pay attention to it, others prefer to get rid of it.
Yet, hair above the upper lip, whether peach-like fuzz or real darker hair, is present in all women. We take stock of this problem and the methods to get rid of it, with Dr. Émilie Darbet-Andrieu, dermatologist.
Facial hair: what are the factors that promote mustache growth in women?
“The presence of hair above the upper lip is completely normal”begins Dr. Darbet-Andrieu. “All over the body, with the exception of the palms of the hand and the soles of the feet, there are hairs. Depending on the area, it may be a small, light and inconspicuous down or a single hair thicker and more visible.” In other words : everyone has hair above their mouthwomen like men (without them having any real use).
But then, what makes it so that for some women, these are as visible as those of men, while they are almost imperceptible for others? “It’s a hormone thing.”replies the dermatologist. “More precisely, it is a hormonal imbalance with an excess of male hormones, androgens, which can lead to an increase in facial and body hair in women. We then speak ofhirsutism.”
For what I help more in more of down on the face ?
It is also a common phenomenon at the time of menopause, linked to the disruption of hormonal balance. Indeed, with age, the level of estrogen increases, which causes certain changes in women. The hair tends to thin, become sparse and there is an increase in facial hair, such as the appearance of fuzz or facial hair. A study published in the British Journal of Dermatology in 2011 reported that 39% of women saw an increase in facial hair after menopause.
Plucking your mustache hair: good or bad idea?
Let it be said: hair does not necessarily have to be removed. However, if the fuzz or hair above your lips bothers you or if your hair is too excessive, it is possible to get rid of it using different methods. The dermatologist warns against shaving which, by cutting the hair on the surface of the skin without removing the bulb, tends to “grow” the latter (since the new tip of the latter will be its base, necessarily wider) , and, in the case of a down, risks transforming it into real, thicker hair. Same thing for depilatory cream.
Facial hair removal: how to get rid of mustache hair in women?
Discoloration of mustache hair
Bleaching is an interesting option in the case of down, but is not sufficient if it is real dark hair.
The tweezers method
Using tweezers can be interesting if you have one or two hairs that bother you, but beyond that, you run the risk of irritating the area and stimulating growth.
Waxing
What about wax? This is an option that works well, as long as you don’t use too hot a wax. The option is not recommended for sensitive skin.
The technique of permanent hair removal (laser, electrolysis, electric hair removal)
If the dark hairs above your upper lip are a big problem, you can turn to a permanent option : “The laser is ideal for well-pigmented hair (it does not work on red or white hair), just like the pulsed lightbut in general, the laser is more effective and requires fewer sessions”, indicates Dr. Darbet-Andrieu, who specifies that there is still a risk of paradoxical regrowth, i.e. the appearance of hair in an area close to that treated with the laser. For white or red hair, electric hair removal or electrolysis is the only effective option, but the dermatologist emphasizes that the procedure is “much more tedious than the laser”. In all cases, it is recommended to seek advice from your dermatologist in advance, in order to decide together which is the most suitable solution.
Thanks to Dr. Emilie Darbet-Andrieu, dermatologist.