From this article you will learn:
- Why does unwanted hair appear on the face?
- What are the usual ways to remove hair from the face?
- How does laser hair removal of the upper lip work?
- What you need to pay attention to before the procedure
- How to prepare for laser hair removal
- How to care for your face after laser treatment
- Why hairs can grow after laser hair removal
Women often develop a mustache above their upper lip. This leads to the fact that representatives of the fair sex begin to feel complex and embarrassed about their appearance. If you notice hair above your upper lip, don't be upset. Modern cosmetology has a solution to this problem - laser hair removal of the upper lip. What it is and how to get rid of hair forever, we will tell you in our article.
Why do women have mustaches?
There are several main reasons why hair may appear on a woman’s face:
Genetic trait
Hirsutism, or male pattern growth of body hair in women, occurs in 70% of cases. Hereditary increased hair growth is the most common cause of increased hair above the upper lip and chin. This genetic factor is passed on from generation to generation.
Hormonal imbalance
Another important reason for increased hair growth on the female body is hormonal imbalance. The female body contains both female and male hormones (testosterone). But this hormone is also necessary for the female body for the proper functioning of the follicle in the ovaries, ovaries and adrenal glands. But when testosterone levels are higher than normal, a girl experiences growth activation in atypical places on the body: the face, mustache above the upper lip, chin and chest. There is no need to gallop to a beauty salon and remove unwanted hair. In such cases, you need to visit an endocrinologist so that the specialist examines you and prescribes appropriate drug treatment.
Age-related changes
In rare cases, in women after 30 years of age, estrogen synthesis decreases, which leads to the appearance of unwanted hair. This is the first signal about the need to visit an endocrinologist and gastroenterologist who examines the liver.
Causes of facial hair
Dark facial hair is not always a reason to go to a cosmetologist. Often the reason for the appearance of vegetation lies in hormonal imbalance, heredity and poor nutrition:
- Hormonal disbalance. For example, due to a sharp increase in testosterone levels in the body, a woman’s entire body changes. Dark hair appears above the lip and on other parts of the body, the voice becomes rough, the figure begins to resemble a man’s, muscle mass is rebuilt. Excessive production of hormones is caused by poor nutrition, stress, and malfunction of the thyroid gland. If your hair starts to grow because of this, then laser hair removal will not help, you need to contact an endocrinologist.
- Heredity. Ask your mother and grandmothers if they have had excess hair on their body and face. If yes, then there is a predisposition to this in your family, but its presence does not mean that hair above the upper lip will bother you too. If this does happen, it means that it is not hormonal imbalance that is to blame, but heredity, contact a cosmetologist. A course of laser hair removal of the upper lip will solve your problem.
- Poor nutrition. A large amount of sweets in the diet can cause hair to appear on the upper lip. In this case, it is recommended to stop eating sweets.
- Cosmetical tools. If you decide to buy new cosmetics, for example, a cream that you have not used before, study the composition. Hair growth can be caused by hormonal drugs contained in cosmetics. Basically, such substances are included in masks, serums, lifting and anti-aging creams. When you stop using these products, the hair above your upper lip will disappear.
- Serious diseases such as hirsutism lead to excessive growth of dark, pigmented hair on the upper lip, chin area, center of the chest, abdomen and back. If hair appears around the nipples, on the legs and arms, in the lower abdomen, on the lower back, do not worry, treatment is not required in this case.
Hirsutism is one of the symptoms of more serious pathologies, for example, polycystic disease, tumors of the ovaries, pituitary gland or adrenal glands. All these ailments can lead to uterine bleeding, infertility, menstrual irregularities, and anemia. If you notice any of the listed symptoms, do not delay a visit to a gynecologist and endocrinologist.
Hirsutism is curable, the main thing is to accurately determine the cause of the disease. Therapy will take about 6–12 months. The doctor will help normalize hormonal levels. Removing excess hair using cosmetic methods is permitted only after the consent of the specialist at the end of treatment.
Read material on the topic: Laser facial skin rejuvenation: useful tips and recommendations
How does a laser work for hair removal of the upper lip (mustache)
Each hair contains a high molecular weight pigment, melanin. The laser destroys the hair through strong heating, affecting melanin, destroying the follicle along with the vessel that nourishes it. During laser hair removal above the upper lip, the skin is not damaged; the laser beam affects only the follicle. Laser lip hair removal takes a cosmetologist about 6-8 minutes. The hairs do not fall out the first time and remain on the surface of the skin. Some active hairs begin to fall out on their own ten days after the procedure. After some time, the dormant hairs become active, and you will have to visit the cosmetologist again. On average, 3-4 sessions are enough, but depending on the individual characteristics of the body, the number of sessions may vary.
The hair on the upper lip and chin must not be pulled out with tweezers, wax or sugaring.
The hair follicle consists of several components:
- hair papilla;
- root sheath;
- hair funnel;
- sweat, sebaceous glands and muscles that adjoin the walls of the follicle.
All of the above components actively participate in the development of the hair root. The rays block them with its energy flow. Consequently, after destroying a hair with a laser, the vegetation dies and a new bulb does not form in its place.
Trading
Under this intricate name lies the usual thread removal. The advantages of this method are that it is fast and inexpensive, but the disadvantages are that it requires certain skills and may seem painful. You will need a regular cotton thread - it is best for capturing facial hair. Take a piece of 30 centimeters, connect the ends and tie them into a knot, then make an infinity sign out of the resulting circle, and turn it several times to form a weave in the middle. Then apply it to your face and slide it over the skin - all the hairs will fall into the loop and be plucked out. Using the same principle, you can use a special spring - it works the same way, but you don’t need to show any design skills.
Spring for hair removal on the face and neck Tweezerman, 1789 rubles
tweeterman
How many types of laser hair removal are there?
Today, there are several types of lasers on the cosmetology market, which differ in their internal part, in their effectiveness and in the length of the flashes:
- Diode laser - removes fluffy, coarse and dark hairs from the body, but does not fight gray hair very well. This laser can be used on all skin types.
- Alexandrite laser - used on dark, red and blond hair. Most patients complain of pain during manipulation; to minimize pain, an additional cooling coolant is used.
- Neodymium laser—primarily used for the removal of spider veins, age spots, and tattoos rather than hair removal. This device is also used primarily to eliminate vascular networks and scars.
The maximum permissible hair length for laser hair removal above the lips should be no more than 0.2 cm.
Sugar
An alternative to waxing is sugar removal. You can purchase a special paste and do the procedure yourself at home - but, again, it requires skills to perform it, so we recommend that you do not experiment and sign up for a salon. Sugar removal will cost only 350 rubles - for example, at Ma & Mi. How is this method different from wax? We recommend trying it if after waxing you still have irritation and hairs begin to grow in. Sugar adheres more tightly to the hair and removes it from the root, making pimples less likely to appear after it.
Rules for preparing for laser hair removal of the upper lip
Laser hair removal is an off-season procedure, but despite this factor, it has some restrictions that must be adhered to before going to a cosmetologist. Preparation for laser manipulation consists of the following:
- Do not take antibiotics two weeks before depilation; they have a negative effect on the skin and the result of the procedure.
- It is forbidden to remove hairs above the upper lip by yourself using sugaring, waxing or an epilator.
- You should not sunbathe in a solarium or under the natural rays of the sun, otherwise pigmented spots may appear on your body after the procedure.
- Three days before visiting the laser salon, it is recommended to remove hair from the upper area of the mouth with a razor (recommended length 1-2 mm), otherwise a microburn of the skin may occur due to too long hair.
- Avoid using cosmetics on the day of the procedure;
- 7 days before the procedure, stop using facial care products that contain alcohol.
Waxing - the result is obvious
One of the old, time-tested procedures is waxing. Wax strips, although inferior to modern technologies (Elos, laser), are still loved by women . Wax is the ideal solution for ladies who want to achieve beauty in a safe and healthy way.
Benefits of waxing:
- Waxing on the face does not leave scars on the skin.
- Renews, cleanses and heals the epidermis.
- The procedure is easy to use and does not require much time.
- Does not harm the layers of the skin and does not provoke premature aging.
- Promotes the gradual destruction of hair follicles, hard hairs become thinner and soon stop growing.
- Wax has no contraindications. The only thing that is required is the absence of wounds, abrasions and scratches on the treated area.
Waxing of the upper lip eliminates unsightly fuzz for 2.5-3 weeks .
With constant use of wax, the smoothness of the skin pleases the owner for a longer time. But such a procedure requires skill and experience - after all, the delicate skin above the lips is very sensitive .
Lip depilation with wax has the only disadvantage: for a successful procedure, the hairs must be about 3-5 mm long . It's rare that a woman can calmly grow such fluff on her face.
To completely get rid of the “antennae” you need to apply wax strips twice .
And be patient - the event causes pain. Important! If hair removal is carried out correctly, only slight redness may appear on the skin.
But there should be no bruises or purpleness! Such manifestations indicate incorrect actions. Ingrown hairs can form as a result of tearing off the wax strip too weakly . And bruises and severe redness are evidence of special sensitivity of the skin; in the future you will have to abandon this procedure.
Skin care after laser hair removal on the upper lip
After laser hair removal from the upper lip, redness and discomfort are a normal post-procedure effect. But it can be minimized if you adhere to proper skin care after the procedure. After laser hair removal of mustaches, women may experience:
- Swelling and redness on the skin disappear within two hours. But if the procedure was performed on dark or dark skin, the discomfort from laser manipulation will be long-lasting. In this case, cosmetologists recommend applying aloe vera gel to the area to be epilated; with its help, the unpleasant sensations will quickly go away.
- If after two hours the body still feels hot or tingling, you can apply ice to the hair removal area.
- For several days, carry out facial water treatments without scrubs and peels.
- Protect skin from ultraviolet radiation. Before going out into the bright sun, cosmetologists recommend soaking the upper part of your mouth with sunscreen with SPF of at least 30 units or even performing laser hair removal on the upper lip in the fall or winter;
- Do not apply makeup to the treated area for about one week. Otherwise, it may lead to skin irritation.
- Limit yourself to visiting hot public places (saunas, baths, fitness rooms) at least in the first three days after laser hair removal. High sweating stimulates melanocyte production, which can lead to hyperpigmentation.
The nuances of the wax procedure
Waxing is a simple and effective procedure that can be done at home.
But it wouldn’t hurt to know some of its secrets in order to be guaranteed to get a “smooth” result. And know that waxing is contraindicated if you have the following diseases :
- varicose veins;
- diabetes;
- heart problems;
- exacerbation of skin ailments;
- diseases that reduce blood clotting.
How to care for your skin
Try not to wet the skin above the lips immediately after the procedure - in this case, the healing of the epidermis will be delayed. You can wash in the bathroom after 6-8 hours. Avoid visiting the steam room, sauna, solarium or beach for a short time (3-4 days). You are allowed to scrub your face 2-3 days after the procedure .
But it is advisable to use a soft scrub a day before waxing - this will prevent the appearance of ingrown hairs. The scrub will help remove them even if such hairs are already present above the lip.
Removing wax residues
After removing the wax, an unpleasant sticky layer remains on the skin of the face. To remove it, you can use napkins heavily soaked in softening oil (they come with ready-made wax strips). If they are not available, use regular cotton swabs soaked in vegetable oil (sunflower or olive).
Oily residues are easily removed with soapy warm water. You can apply an antiseptic solution (Miramistin or Chlorhexidine). After cleansing, apply a moisturizing nourishing cream to the skin at the epilation site.
Advice. Many girls use anti-hair growth cream for post-depilation care.
But, as experience and reviews show, there is no difference between it and a regular nourishing cream. You can watch a video about how a girl first used wax strips to epilate the mustache on her face.
Another video about facial depilation with hot wax. You can see how this procedure goes.
How many sessions do you need to complete?
For the desired effect, on average, the number of procedures ranges from 3 to 10; the exact number of sessions can only be determined by a cosmetologist after studying: skin color, hair structure, hormonal levels. As mentioned above, during the first session, a small part of the hair that is in the active growth phase falls out. The second stage of the procedure is scheduled after a month - when hairs grow from previously dormant follicles. Subsequent sessions are held every 14 days. Over time, the hair on the face becomes thinner, the hairs become soft, and after a while it stops growing completely.
In case of hormonal imbalance, laser hair removal of the upper lip will be short-term. You must first understand the root cause together with your doctor.
Burnout
Let's start with simple home methods - for example, burning. Our grandmothers also used it. It is enough to bring a match or lighter to the fluff, and it will disappear by itself, briefly leaving the characteristic aroma of burnt hair. Well, maybe this method was considered quite good in Soviet times, but now the beauty industry can offer quite a lot of options for solving the problem. Of course, girls are attracted by the painlessness of the process, but each time, along with a woman’s mustache, you also risk burning your eyelashes. Unlike the cannon, they will take a very long time to recover.
givenchybeauty
Possible complications after laser hair removal above the upper lip
If the preparation rules are not followed or the cosmetologist’s work is poor, side effects may occur. Among them are the following consequences:
- Skin burn. Occurs when the doctor is unprofessional, as well as in patients with dark skin.
- Hyperpigmentation. Skin discoloration occurs more often on tanned areas of the skin.
- Damage to the retina due to laser flashes. It is important to protect your eyes with special glasses to avoid injury.
- Redness on the surface of the skin. This consequence of depilation disappears a few hours after the manipulation.
- Bruising. Mogu appears on sensitive skin and open wounds. After a few days, the skin crust will come off and new, smooth skin will appear in this place.
- Infection. Rarely, but this negative factor happens. It is important to keep the treated area clean, this will help avoid unpleasant consequences. The infection can also enter the body through a dirty device that has not been treated with a disinfectant in advance.
What are the possible side effects?
Unpleasant consequences after the procedure can only appear if contraindications to the procedure were not taken into account or the technology was violated.
The following side effects are possible after laser and photoepilation:
- skin redness;
- the appearance of pigmentation;
- development of inflammatory processes (for example, folliculitis);
- burns;
- burning;
- dryness and flaking.
Electrolysis can be accompanied by such unpleasant consequences as:
- scars;
- swelling;
- hematomas;
- itching;
- dark spots.
Advantages and disadvantages
Like any cosmetic hair removal, hair removal above the upper lip has its pros and cons.
Advantages of laser hair removal above the upper lip:
- Long lasting smooth mustache effect.
- Laser sessions last several minutes.
- The appearance of the face improves.
- The relief of the skin is evened out.
- Laser hair removal above the upper part of the mouth is affordable (compared to other areas at a lower cost). Many women wonder how much laser hair removal of mustaches costs; the price of laser hair removal of the upper lip starts from 2000 rubles.
- Compared to other popular methods, laser does not cause as much pain as other types of hair removal.
Laser hair removal of mustaches for women: disadvantages:
- Doesn't cope well with gray hairs.
- Quite a long full course.
- The procedure is relatively painful.
- Restrictions on hair and skin types.
- Effective only on actively growing hair.
If you find the price for laser hair removal of mustaches below the market price, you should not choose this salon - you will lose both money and time. The main selection criterion is professional equipment and competent specialists!
Hair removal options
Today, experts suggest removing mustaches using different types of hair removal:
- laser hair removal;
- photoepilation;
- electrolysis.
Laser and photo radiation
The color of the hairs is determined by the content of the coloring pigment (melanin), which has the ability to absorb external energy. This property of melanin is used in laser and photoepilation. When a laser pulse or photoradiation is directed at a hair, the energy absorbed by melanin is transformed into heat, the hair becomes very hot, and under the influence of high temperatures the components of the hair follicle are destroyed.
Laser and photoepilation are often used to remove mustaches
After the session, the hairs completely fall out within a few days.
Many women resort to these methods of mustache hair removal because they have clear advantages:
- the result lasts for a long time;
- The duration of the session is negligible - only 5-10 minutes.
After laser hair removal, the skin became smooth
However, there are also disadvantages:
- since a laser or light beam heats the hair and neutralizes the follicle due to the melanin contained in it, light, vellus and gray hair cannot be eliminated using these types of hair removal;
- burns may remain on the upper lip, and the skin may begin to peel;
- high cost of the session;
- There are some restrictions to the procedure.
Video: laser hair removal
Removal of antennae by electric discharge
During electrolysis, the hair follicle is also destroyed by high temperatures. Here the hair receives strong heat due to an electrical impulse. Electric current is supplied to the hair through the electrode. Intense heat accumulates in the hair, causing the follicle components to be destroyed. In this case, the hairs fall out immediately.
An electric discharge is applied to the hair through an electrode in the form of tweezers or a very thin needle.
Electrolysis has a number of significant advantages:
- you can remove any hairs on the upper lip, including light, gray and vellus hairs;
- hair is removed immediately;
- the effect lasts for a long time.
With the help of electroepilation, even vellus, light and gray hairs on the upper lip can be eliminated
But when removing hair with electric current, there are also some significant disadvantages:
- excessive pain during the procedure;
- session duration. During electrolysis, each hair is removed separately, and sometimes the procedure can last up to 50–60 minutes;
- the appearance of scars;
- high price;
- a number of contraindications.
Video: using electric current to fight antennae
Contraindications
Laser hair removal has certain contraindications; be sure to consult a cosmetologist before the procedure. Restrictions include:
- Oncological diseases.
- Diabetes.
- Intolerance to the components of painkillers.
- Moles and warts at the epilation site.
- Lactation period.
- Pregnancy.
- Various rashes: allergies, acne, herpes.
- Skin after tanning.
- Phlebeurysm.
- Skin rashes, inflammation or irritation above the lip.
- Presence of damage: wounds, scratches, skin cuts;
- Diseases of the central nervous system (epilepsy);
- Tattoos (color pigments under the skin can cause intense heat in the treated area and cause a burn);
- Presence of a pacemaker.
- Puberty.
Indications for laser manipulation include: age over 18 years with the presence of vegetation.
Contraindications and indications for such a procedure
If you have a need or desire to remove hairs located above your lip, you should understand that there are indications for the procedure and, of course, contraindications that do not allow its use.
One of the main indications for laser hair removal is the presence of black hairs above the lip.
In addition, this procedure is recommended for those women who experience skin irritation or ingrown hairs after other removal methods. If waxing is not an option for you, you can try laser hair removal.
There are also a number of contraindications. Very often, in the presence of serious diseases, hair removal above the lip may not only not cause the desired effect, but may even harm your body and health. Therefore, contraindications should be approached with extreme caution. These include:
- The woman has diabetes mellitus.
- Critical days. This is due to the fact that during menstruation each woman’s pain threshold level significantly decreases. Therefore, the possibility of formation of swellings and hematomas cannot be excluded.
- The period of lactation and gestation.
- The presence of inflammatory processes that occur in the lip area (herpes, purulent rashes and other diseases).
- All kinds of cancer.
- The presence of warts, all kinds of age spots and moles near the lips.
- Excessively dark skin surface.
- Viral infections.
- Significant hormonal imbalances.
- Infectious diseases at the acute stage.
- Possibility of an allergic reaction.
- Varicose veins
- All kinds of failures in the field of tissue regeneration.
- The presence of cracks, cuts, ulcers on the surface of the skin.
- Use of tetracycline antibiotics.
- All kinds of blood diseases.
- Somatic diseases of the skin.
In order for the specialist who will carry out this procedure not to be responsible for the patient’s health, before carrying out the procedure, the person must be examined by a therapist and undergo many different tests. This is necessary in order to completely eliminate the presence of contraindications.
Is there salvation
Of course have. But the question is different: to get rid of it or not? This worries many girls and women, who usually worry that their hair will begin to grow even thicker, thicker and blacker. No measures are taken, and some are simply trying to lighten the growing vegetation.
But this technique does not always produce an effect. Especially if the hairs are dark. And the remaining light fluff will not decorate the face. A girl with a mustache, even if she doesn’t look very good with blond hair. For this reason, there is no hesitation, the answer is clear: it must be deleted.
In order not to make a mistake in the way to solve the mustache problem and choose the right method, there is only one way out - visiting a specialist and, if necessary, treatment. Only an endocrinologist can determine how to solve the problem: with cosmetic techniques alone or with a preliminary course of treatment.
How does the procedure work?
If all of the above points are followed, then laser hair removal above the lip is easy and looks like this:
- If necessary, the area is numbed with a gel containing an anesthetic. Such means are also conductors that “hold” the handle of the device;
- To protect the eyes, wear glasses;
- The required power for processing is selected (it is individual for everyone). For the upper lip area, the laser is usually set to a wavelength of 810 nm;
- Pulses from the beam pass instantly, destroying hair follicles from different sides;
- After treatment, the gel is removed and an anti-redness agent is applied (usually panthenol).
Reference !
Instead of panthenol, you can use bepanthen. The duration of this “approach” rarely exceeds 10 minutes, and after a couple of hours the skin completely restores its natural color.