What Can You Do About Chin Stubble As A Woman?
Chin stubble can be extremely embarrassing as a woman. It’s a problem for many women who remove facial hair regularly, and you might wonder what you can do about it or whether there are any ways to make it less noticeable. In fact, there are a number of different techniques that can help you deal with chin stubble. The one you choose will depend on the severity of the stubble, your skin type, and your budget. Many women with hirsutism have also seen great results by adding two cups of spearmint tea to their daily routine.
Why Do Women Have Chin Stubble?
Everyone has some hair on their face. For many women, these hairs are small, and virtually undetectable. However, in some cases, these hairs can become darker, coarser, and much more visible.
It’s quite common for women to have the odd long stray hair on their chins. It’s usually caused by some sort of hormone imbalance, and it often comes back into balance by itself. In some cases, such as issues with the adrenal glands or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), the hormones don’t come back into balance. In this cases, the hairs can become more visible, darker, and coarser. Many affected women choose to remove the hair by shaving or plucking, but many of still still struggle with some sort of “5 o’clock” shadow and stubbles, as the hair regrows quickly. Facial hair and the chin stubble that comes with it are among the most aggravating symptoms for women with hirsutism.
How To Get Rid Of Chin Stubble
Most women who have chin stubble look for ways to remove it. This will depend on if it’s one or two stray hairs, or if it’s many hairs. It will depend on how visible the hairs are, if they’re small fine vellus hairs, or if they’re darker, coarser terminal hairs. It will also depend on your budget, as some hair removal methods are very inexpensive, while others are much more costly.
Plucking
If you only have a few, long random hairs on your chin, then plucking them is the cheapest method to remove them. The only cost is to buy a good pair of slanted tweezers. This method would be extremely labor intensive if there is a larger patch of unwanted hair.
It’s a good idea to disinfect the tweezers before and after using them. Wash your face with warm water to soften the skin, hold it taut, and make sure to pluck in the direction of hair growth. If you experience any redness or irritation, you can try an aloe vera gel, or gently rub an ice cube over the area.
Shaving
Shaving is also a low cost option for hair removal. It’s not a long lasting hair removal method, and will usually need to be repeated every three days.
Wash your face as you would normally, and apply a layer of shaving foam. Glide the razor over the area, and rinse. Some people find that the razor can cut their faces if shaving foam isn’t used, and others find that shaving can cause ingrown hairs.
Ingrown hairs can create small, painful bumps on the face. They usually resolve themselves in a few days.
Threading
You may have heard of threading as a method of eyebrow shaping, but it can be used for hairs on the chin as well. The thread is twisted around the hairs, and pulls them from the hair follicle. It’s longer lasting than shaving or plucking, but it can be painful.
Threading needs to be done by a trained technician, so it can’t be done at home. It can also cause bumps on the skin, which means it’s not usually suitable for anyone with acne.
Depilatory Cream
A depilatory cream is chemical cream that removes hair. The cream destroys the hair, and is wiped or rinsed off. It lasts a little longer than shaving. It may not be suitable for anyone with sensitive skin as the chemicals are quite strong.
Epilation
Epilation is a longer lasting option than plucking, shaving, or creams. In most cases, the results last for four weeks. It works in a similar way to plucking, and shaving, but it holds several hairs at once, and removes them from the root.
It’s a good idea to exfoliate the area a few days before using an epilator. Hold the skin taut, and the epilator at a ninety degree angle. Move the epilator in the direction of hair growth, and go slowly. Epilation can be painful, but working slowly can reduce the amount of discomfort. If the skin feels red and irritated, an ice cube may be able to help, or an aloe vera gel.
Waxing
Waxing can be done at home or in a beauty salon. Waxing at home is usually cheaper than an in-salon, but make sure that you choose a wax that is suitable for the face. Facial waxes will be softer and gentler than the harder waxes that are more suitable for waxing the legs.
If the wax needs to be warmed up at home, you should consider buying a wax warmer, which will help heat it at an even temperature. You should always use disposable waxing sticks, and use one stick per ‘dip’, so you don’t dip the same stick into the wax twice.
The day before you wax any facial hair, you should do a patch test to make sure that you don’t have an allergic reaction. When you’re waxing make sure that your hands are clean, and your face has been exfoliated. Hold the skin taut, and apply the wax. Always remove the strip in the direction of hair growth. Remove any remaining wax with an oily based cleanser, and moisturize.
Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal can be done at home using an at home laser kit, but the best results are seen after professional treatment. It can be more expensive, but the results are much longer lasting than most hair removal methods.
Laser hair removal uses an intense pulse of laser to destroy the hair from underneath the skin. The results last for around six months.
If you are using an at home laser hair kit, take care when using it near your eyes. You should shave before using the laser treatment, and you may need to repeat the treatment every two weeks before seeing your desired results.
Prescription Creams
There isn’t any prescription topical creams that remove hair, but there is one that can slow the hair growth. Vaniqa needs to be applied to the skin twice a day, and it can take up to eight weeks before you notice any changes. It doesn’t remove hair, so you will need to use a hair removal method as well.
Vaniqa isn’t suitable for everyone, and some people can have an allergic reaction to it. Always ask your physician before trying any prescription medication.
Vaniqa isn’t a permanent method of hair removal. In most cases, once the treatment is stopped, the hair will return. However, some women have found that the returning hair is not as noticeable, or as dark in color as the hair before treatment.
