A lot of women with PCOS have to deal with excess hair. It can occur anywhere on the face and body but it seems to be a big problem on our faces (chin and upper lip area). Having to deal with this is hard and can bring one's self esteem down.
I wanted to look at pros and cons of all the different methods of hair removal. This is because I am getting so sick of my facial hair and would really like to find a longer lasting way to get rid of it.
If I left anything out, let me know.
The methods
Shaving and trimming:
Pros-
*Can be quick
* Can be relatively easy
* Can be relatively inexpensive
* Can do at home
* Razors and trimmers can be portable
Cons-
*Can cause irritation (razor bumps,rashes)
*Can cause scratches
* Does not remove the entire hair
* Might not get the areas as smooth as you want
* Not permanent
Waxing:
Pros-
*Removes the entire hair
* Removes large amounts of hair at one time
* Gets things smoother than shaving does
* Causes softer regrowth of hair than shaving does
* Longer lasting than shaving
Cons-
* Can be very painful
* Can experience irritation with this method too (allergic reactions and infections)
* Can be expensive
Depilatory cream:
Pros-
*Dissolves hair so area is smoother than shaving
* No razor burns or nicks
* Can be quick
Cons-
* Can cause irritation and allergic reactions
* Can cause burns
*Might smell bad for a while
* Areas may be uneven due to how it was applied
Coil spring remover :
Pros-
*Might leave the area smoother than shaving
*Can be quick and easy
*Some say it is painless
Cons-
* Many say it is quite painful
* Doesn't work for a lot of women with excess upper hair
* Seems overpriced
Vaniqa (elflornithine):
This is a cream that slows hair growth by working on an enzyme in the hair follicle. It is applied twice a day.
Pros-
*FDA approved
* Easy to apply
* Have to shave/wax/tweeze/trim less over time
Cons-
*Can be expensive
* Cause acne in a lot of people
* Has other side effects such as redness, stinging, burning and folliculitis.
Electrolysis:
Disrupts hair growth by using shortwave radio frequencies in the hair follicles.
Pros-
*Backed by FDA
*Seems as though many women with PCOS have been happy with it
*Considered permanent
*Can be used anywhere on the body
* Usually minor side effects
Cons-
*Expensive ($30-$100 per session)
* Not covered by insurance
*Requires multiple sessions to get the results
* Could have major side effects such as infections and/or scars
Laser hair removal:
Damages hair follicles by using mild radiation through lasers.
Pros-
*Can be done anywhere on the face and body (except eye area)
*Very little recovery time
* Hair regrowth is finer
Cons-
*Not covered by insurance
*Can be expensive to some (average cost is $429)
* Results are not permanent
* Many women with PCOS were not happy with it
* Can cause scars and changes to skin texture
Spironolactone:
Used for women with hormonal acne and excess hair. Common dosages range from 50-300 mg.
Pros-
*Brings blood pressure down
* Reduces bloat
* Makes the excess male-pattern hair grow slower
* Can reduce oiliness of the skin
*Can reduce acne
*May help with hair loss on scalp
Cons-
* Can cause side effects such as dizziness, thirstiness, GI problems, breast pain and more
* Potassium-sparing so have to get blood testing done periodically and watch out for potassium intake
*Slow to work (takes about three months more to see results)
Spearmint:
Possible effect according to a couple studies. Very weak evidence.
Pros-
* Spearmint is available in capsules if you don't like drinking tea
*Might have anti-androgen effects for women with excess hair
Cons-
*Might make things worse or do nothing
My experiences with hair removal methods
In the past I was shaving my body and waxing my upper lip/eyebrows once a month. The waxing was enough for me as my facial hair grew very slow at that time. That has changed unfortunately!
After I gave birth, my facial hair started getting out of control. Ever since then I have to shave my face morning and night. It is obnoxious to say the least.
After researching all of these methods, I decided that I really want to try electrolysis. The problem with this method is the expense. Once my business gets off the ground I want to put aside some money each month so that I can possibly afford sessions of it.
What hair removal methods have you tried and what do you like the best?
Thanks for reading!
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