Fuss About Defuzz

Some women feel self-conscious or unfeminine with soft fuzz on their upper lips. Facial hair isn’t unusual in women. But women past menopause often develop a darker or denser growth of hair on their upper lip for the first time in their lives, regardless of  their genetic proneness.

This growth is usually related to hormonal changes that accompany menopause. This is  due to the drop in estrogen. A dramatic increase in facial hair in women at any age however calls for a medial evaluation, especially if it is accompanied by a spurt in hair growth on the breasts or lower abdomen.

Ways to Remove Unwanted Hair

Here are your options to defuzz your upper lips

Shaving

Technically, there’s no reason why women can’t shave their faces just as men do. In Japan, women routinely shave their faces once a month. It’s quick and easy and contrary to what people believe, shaving will not cause hair to grow back darker, thicker or coarser. The real reason most women think nothing of shaving their legs but don’t even consider shaving their faces is probably purely psychological. Shaving the face is a sexually charged grooming ritual- for men. As such a woman is just as likely to feel unfeminine taking a blade to her upper lip as she would wearing her moustache.

Bleaching

If your hair is very fine and your skin fair, bleaching the hair on your upper lip will solve the problem. If you have dark hair or dark skin, you may find that bleaches make hair even more noticeable

Depilatories

Hair-removing creams or lotions dissolve hair just below skin level. Applied about once a month, depilatories will remove unwanted hair and keep the re-growth tapered and soft. However, even products designed for use on the face contain strong chemicals and can irritate sensitive skin. To avoid problems, try the product on a small patch of skin, such as the inside of one elbow the day before you use it. If you are sensitive to it, don’t use it. Follow the directions exactly to avoid an unsightly chemical burn. Retest the depilatory each time you use it.

Waxing

Hair-striping wax has its pros and cons. First dust-on cornstarch, then liquefied wax-specially formulated for the job is applied to the skin. When it cools, the wax is stripped band-aid style pulling off hairs with it.  While waxing may work well for removing hair on the legs, it may not be the best way to eliminate upper lip hair mainly because you must let hair re-grow to about one/fourth inch before you can repeat the procedure.

Electrolysis

This is the only really permanent hair removal technique. The process involves inserting an extremely fine hair into the hair follicle and zapping it with a tiny charge of electricity to destroy the root. You can expect to feel anything from a slight tingle to enough pain to warrant a shot of painkiller. Since a certain percentage of hair is dormant at any given time, you may have to return for a follow up treatment later to destroy that growth. The results of electrolysis depend much on the skill of the person doing the procedures.

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Palm Off

The affliction of sweaty palms is steeped in bitter irony. Imagine if you are meeting someone new and want to make a good impression or shake hands with your good old friend whom you are meeting after a long time and your palms start oozing sweat! The person you are supposed to meet comes in. He motions for the traditional handshake. Terrified, you offer up your soggy paw. You see his face cringe as flesh meets a cold fish! One good impression down the drain!

The above scenario happens all too often to people cursed with sweaty hands. This condition is known as hyperhydrosis and it is a tough problem to solve. Dermatologists usually treat it with solutions containing the antiperspirant aluminum chlorhydroxide, which usually works temporarily. Tranquilizers and drugs that block nerve impulses have had minor results, while some doctors have had success with a drastic procedure in which water is driven into the sweat glands electrically, making them swell up and stop working. For the really desperate, an operation exists that severs the nerves which control the sweat glands. Biofeedback and relaxation training may offer some non-surgical hope.

Otherwise the only hope for people with sweaty hands is to wash their hands frequently and keep powdering them. They can also use tissue paper doused with  eau-de-cologne, better still carry such tissues in plastic packets and use them just before they are about to meet someone important. Frequent washing of the hands with soap will also damage the hands in the long run. Hence they can use moisturizers at night before retiring to bed.

Writer’s bumps are irritants that can put off writers and those who need to use the pen and chalk frequently. Many school students who write copious notes are seen to be disturbed by the bumps too. Calluses also cause anxiety. But they are our body’s natural defense against pressure and friction. They are harmless. If you find them unattractive, a dermatologist can plane them off, that is gently slice down the skin. However, if you maintain the same writing grip, they’ll just grow right back. Varying your hold on the pen or pencil will shift the pressure and enable the bumps and calluses to disappear by themselves. Better yet, learn to type or operate a computer.