How to Remove Facial Hair?
Choosing to remove or manage facial hair can be deeply personal for a woman, especially when considering your individual preferences and lifestyle. However, both the visibility and quantity of facial hair vary from person to person, depending on factors such as genetics, age, and hormonal changes. Thankfully, you do have various choices to help with this, each one offering different levels of convenience, efficiency, and cost.
Facial Hair Removal Methods
Selecting a facial hair removal method as part of a personal care routine depends on your comfort level and preference. Here are some of the most common methods, ranging from quick at-home options to longer-lasting treatments offered in clinics and salons:
Shaving
Shaving is a convenient, cost-effective, and quick method of facial hair removal. However, the results may be uneven and are not long-lasting or permanent, and hair typically regrows within one to three days after shaving. Moreover, not everyone may appreciate the pain points from shaving, such as accidental cuts, after-shave burns, and potentially pimples.
Tweezing and Epilation
Tweezing is a manual method of hair removal by plucking hairs with tweezers, while epilation uses a device (an epilator) with a rotating head to remove hairs at the root. Both methods are effective and inexpensive, but they are not recommended for large areas of skin.
Depilatory Creams
These creams are a painless way to remove facial hair at home. When applied, the cream's ingredients break down keratin, the structural protein of hair, to soften it. Depilatory creams are left on the skin for three to ten minutes, after which the hair becomes soft enough to rinse or wipe away. As the hair roots remain intact, depilatory creams are only a temporary solution, since hair typically regrows within a few days. Moreover, some depilatory creams can cause skin irritation and chemical burns due to their ingredients.
Threading
A traditional method that utilises a twisted thread rolled over hair to catch and remove it. Rows of hair can be treated in a short time, and no chemicals or invasive tools are involved. Threading is mostly used for shaping eyebrows and removing fine facial hair, and needs to be done by a skilled professional.
IPL Facial Hair Removal
What is IPL?
IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light. It is a hair removal method that targets hair follicles to reduce hair growth. Through a series of focused light pulses emitted by a handheld IPL device, the melanin in the hair follicles absorbs the light, slowing their function, and reducing hair regrowth over time. The NUMIE Aura delivers five flashes per second, allowing each hair removal session to last only a few minutes. With multiple treatment sessions over four to six weeks, facial areas prone to excess hair growth, such as the upper lip, will gradually grow finer and lighter hair.
Is IPL Safe for Facial Hair Removal?
An IPL device is generally safe to use on your face if you follow the device’s instruction manual. Bear in mind, the face is a very sensitive area, and first-time users are recommended to set their devices to the gentlest setting or mode. The NUMIE Aura offers a gentle, pain-free way to remove facial hair, incorporating FrostTouch Cooling Technology that cools and instantly soothes the skin to as low as 2.4°C during treatment, providing greater comfort than competitor models.
If your facial hair is naturally light in colour, such as blonde, grey, or white, an IPL device will not be effective due to low melanin levels. An IPL device is more effective on lighter skin tones with dark blonde, brown, and black hair. Dark skin tones contain high levels of melanin, which absorbs excess light, which could result in skin irritation or discolouration.
Do not use an IPL device too close to the eyes, as the broad-spectrum light pulses may damage the retina or cornea. Restrict the IPL device to the facial area below the cheekbones.
Facial Hair Removal Process at Home
Using an IPL device on your face may be a little challenging, especially for beginners. Follow these steps to ensure a smooth hair removal experience:
1. Twenty-four hours before using the IPL device, perform a patch test on a small area of your face (such as along your jawline) to check for adverse reactions to the device’s light emission.
2. Shave the area you want to treat to let the light target hair follicles more effectively.
3. Before using your device, make sure your face is clean and dry, along with being free of oil, makeup or moisturiser residue.
4. Hold the light window of the device against your skin and press the flash button to activate the light impulse.
5. Move the device in a smooth, gliding motion to treat small areas of the face, such as the upper lip. Hold the device against your skin, press the flash button, and release it before moving on to the next spot. For the larger cheek and forehead areas, press and hold the flash button to glide the device across the skin.
6. Wipe the light window after each use to remove dirt or dead skin.
After treatment, avoid the use of harsh products, such as perfumes, retinol, and exfoliators, on your face for 48 hours. To prevent further irritation, avoid taking hot showers or baths, and use a strong sunscreen if you cannot avoid sun exposure.
Managing facial hair is ultimately a matter of personal preference. If you are seeking facial hair reduction with professional-grade results at home, the NUMIE Aura provides an effective and convenient alternative.
Do you have facial hair concerns and are looking for at-home IPL hair removal options in Singapore? We offer the cutting-edge NUMIE Aura device, designed to deliver quick and comfortable hair removal for your convenience and privacy. Contact us today to discover more about our latest offerings!