By Jessica Dostie
Menopause brings its share of physiological changes. In addition to unpleasant hot flashes, some women begin to notice hairs growing on parts of the face that are usually smooth— the chin, upper lip, cheekbones, jaw—and even on the chest or back. But there are effective ways to get rid of hair you’d rather not have.
Unwanted hair is something of a taboo topic, and it’s no surprise that many women dealing with hirsutism (excess hair growth) are willing to try every possible approach to get rid of these hairs that become more visible with age.
According to Leslie Elvidge, master trainer for The Ten Spot chain of beauty salons, certain hair-removal methods are more suited than others to certain parts of the body or types of hair. Let’s look at some proven approaches.
At the Salon
LASER
Laser is a quick and relatively painless way to remove hair for good, Elvidge says. Six to eight 10-minute sessions will get rid of a moustache. And gone are the days when you had to have a light complexion and dark hairs for it to work.
“The technology has really improved,” she says. “The latest devices allow us to treat almost every type of hair, no matter the skin tone.” However, she adds, “there must be some pigmentation in the hair, as the laser can’t target grey or white hairs, which don’t contain any melanin.”
And some women are put off the treatment because, between appointments, you have to shave the areas being treated (even on your face)—you mustn’t remove hairs with tweezers or by waxing.
ELECTROLYSIS
Unlike laser, electrolysis (or electric depilation) can get rid of any hair, whatever the colour, using electric current, which destroys the root. The process requires patience, Elvidge says, as treatment is needed every three or four weeks for at least a year to get the desired results.
“It’s a method older than laser and not only takes more time—the filament has to be inserted into each hair follicle, one at a time—but tends to be more painful and can cause more redness,” she days. “Use it for very small areas where hair can’t be removed in other ways.”
Also, regrowth must be left as is between sessions. “You can cut it with scissors if it bothers you,” she adds. The procedure is prohibited for immunocompromised people and for those with heart disease, diabetes, eczema, folliculitis (inflamed follicles), or a skin infection in the area where hair is to be removed.
At Home
WAXING
At first, Elvidge says, you should see a professional. “It’s always harder to wax yourself, as you’ll tend not to pull fast enough and you risk ending up with ingrown hairs,” she says. If you feel you can do it at home, she suggests using a high-quality product—“not the ready-to-use strips that you find at the drugstore!” Wait until the hair is the optimum length, around six millimetres (a quarter inch).
Finally, applying a soothing lotion afterwards will help reduce redness. Be aware that white hairs, which are often coarser and thicker, are almost impossible to wax.
“For these, the options are to shave them, cut them, or have them removed through electrolysis,” Elvidge explains.
INTENSE PULSED LIGHT
Although most salons now prefer laser, compact intense pulsed light epilators give quick results and can be used on almost anyone. These are designed for home use and are becoming more common.
The upside is that pulsed light, which is practically painless, does reduce hair growth. The drawbacks are that these devices are meant to be used on pale skin with contrasting hairs and you have to be diligent and keep doing it. The recommended frequency varies depending on the device.
BLEACHING
This is a proven process, but it also has its share of downsides, starting with possible allergies to the product used. To reduce the risk of a skin reaction, follow the instructions exactly, do a tolerance test 48 hours beforehand, and don’t leave the bleaching cream on the skin for too long.
“Bleaching is a good option if you don’t want to use wax or permanent-hair-removal methods,” Elvidge says.
TWEEZERS
Good old tweezers are still an accessible, low-cost solution for removing a few annoying hairs here and there. They’ll grow back, of course, but you won’t need to wait for your next appointment to have them removed. Tweezers are perfect for touch-ups.
To pull out the hair without breaking it, just grasp it as close to the skin as possible and pull sharply in the direction of the growth.
