What Can I Do About Excessive Peach Fuzz On My Face?
Many women have “peach fuzz” on their face, meaning hairs that are fine in texture and lighter than the hair on their head, but still somewhat visible and noticeable. This peach fuzz is quite normal and doesn’t necessarily indicate a health concern, but can be embarrassing.
This peach fuzz can be especially irritating if it grows to be a bit thick and long and especially visible, and feels coarse to the touch. If you have some peach fuzz on your face and are self-conscious about it for any reason, note a few tips and tricks for removing those unsightly hairs so you can face the world with confidence every day!
Waxing
Waxing is a very common way of removing hair from virtually every part of the body. This process involves applying a warm, soft wax to the area of hair growth, and then allowing the wax to cool just slightly. As wax cools, it solidifies, trapping the hair underneath it.
As the wax is pulled away from the skin, the trapped hair is removed by its roots. This removal method is very thorough, and hair may not grow back for several days if not even weeks. The downside to wax is that some people may be sensitive to its application, and someone inexperienced with its use might heat the wax too much and cause actual burns to their skin.
Depilatory Creams
Depilatory creams work by burning away or otherwise weakening the hair shaft so that it breaks along the surface of the skin. You can then wipe the hair away along with the cream.
Depilatory or hair removal creams are an effective choice for those who are sensitive to having hair pulled out by the roots, and for those who have very light peach fuzz along their face, as these creams are often ineffective for thick and coarse hair. However, hair removal creams may burn sensitive skin and leave behind red marks, and cause itching, flaking, and peeling of the treated area. Some women also have allergic reactions to these creams and may need to see a dermatologist for treatment. Make sure to always test it on a small patch on your skin before applying it to larger areas.
Epilators
An epilator is a small, handheld tool with a rotating head that captures hair as you run the tool along the surface of the skin. As the epilator head rotates, it pulls that trapped hair out by the roots.
While epilators are very effective for removing some facial hair, they may not work so well on fine peach fuzz. Very thin hairs are sometimes difficult to trap in the rotating heads of this tool, so that an epilator may simply crush or flatten your peach fuzz rather than trap and remove it. Epilators can also be very rough on the skin and the head of the tool can often be too large to use around the upper lip.
Bleaches
As the name implies, a bleaching cream doesn’t actually remove peach fuzz from the face. These creams simply bleach facial hair so that it’s very light, making it far less noticeable. Bleaches are an excellent option for those who have very thin peach fuzz but are bothered by the dark color of the hair. Bleaching this hair can make it blend into the skin so it virtually disappears.
As with other topical creams, some people are very sensitive to bleaches and may experience redness, itching, peeling, and flaking after its application. Leaving the bleach on your skin for too long can also result in a burning sensation and resultant red marks. Note, too, that bleaching doesn’t remove the hair, so your peach fuzz might still be noticeable under certain light, at certain angles, and if someone were to touch or kiss your face.
Hair Removal Springs
A Hair Removal Spring is essentially a manual epilator, that is becoming more and more popular among women looking for simple and inexpensive ways to get rid of their facial hair. You bend the coil, puff your cheeks out, run it up to your face and once you let go, you will see the little hairs trapped between the metal coils.
Pulling out hair like this, can be quite painful, so whether or not those hair removal springs are right for you is also dependent on your pain tolerance.
Hair Cutting Wands
Hair cutting wands are small, lightweight tools about the size of a razor, with a tiny combed blade that runs vertically along the front. When you turn on the wand, the blade moves back and forth, creating a cutting action. You can run this wand over the area affected with peach fuzz, gently cutting that hair along the skin.
Hair cutting wands are very effective at removing peach fuzz without hurting the skin, as the blade is not so sharp that it causes irritation or other adverse reactions. You also don’t need to use shaving foam or cream when using this type of wand. However, the hair does tend to grow back rather quickly, so that you might need to use this wand every day to keep your skin smooth and free of your bothersome peach fuzz!
Dermaplaning
Dermaplaning is a type of face shaving treatment performed at a salon, spa, or dermatologist’s office. During a dermaplaning session, a fine layer of skin is literally scraped away from the face with a type of scalpel or blade. This process if often done as a form of skin exfoliation, as it removed dead skin cells and other such impurities, but dermaplaning also removes peach fuzz along with that top layer of skin.
Dermaplaning is very effective at removing peach fuzz and does make your skin look healthier and more radiant overall. The downside to this procedure is that it does need to be done by a professional, so it can get expensive over time.
Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal involves running a small laser over the skin, to kill hair follicles so that the hair falls out and eventually stops growing back. Laser hair removal is often performed for thick, coarse hair that doesn’t respond well to other removal options, but it can be effective for removing peach fuzz and the occasional unwanted hair on your lip, chin, neck, and between the eyebrows.
The downside to laser hair removal is that it can be expensive, usually several hundred dollars per treatment, and you may need several treatments before the hair follicle dies outright. However, if you need to remove other unwanted hair on your face or elsewhere, you might consider this treatment for your peach fuzz as well!
