If you have been thinking about getting some laser facial hair removal work done, here are what I consider essential for you to know – the key laser hair removal face facts and tips.

• Laser hair removal is one of the most popular methods of facial hair removal for women – some men use it too, especially those who are going through transgender transformation. A beard is much tougher to remove than typical female facial hair however and may need additional sessions.
• The cost of laser hair removal is less for the face than for any other area of the body simply because of the small area of skin being treated. Typical laser hair removal for the face cost (upper lip) is around $80 a session with 3 to 5 sessions being needed. If you are looking to get extensive work done around the hairline and neck as well as sideburns and upper lip you can expect a higher price.
• The face is one of the most sensitive areas in the body so you will feel some discomfort during laser treatment. It will feel like you are being pinged with tiny little rubber bands many time a minute. That can be quite sore. Ask about pain relief when you go for your initial consultation. You will probably be given a cooling gel after treatment to help reduce irritation.
• Your facial skin will look a little red after your session so don’t plan any important engagements just after having laser treatment on your face. If possible don’t plan anything the day of your first treatment so you can see how your skin reacts and to be on the safe side maybe the day after too.
• Facial laser treatment works less well on those with dark skin. As the laser targets the pigment in hair and relies on it being darker than the surrounding skin there is a fine line to tread between ineffective treatment on the hair and burning the skin with that type of coloring. Also if you have fair, gray or red hair there may not be enough pigment in the hair for the laser to work on. Some machines are now available which work with different colors of skin and hair but the treatment is still likely to be less effective.
• Dealing with face hair by laser removal can be life transforming for some especially if you have been struggling with other methods for some time and not finding any of them satisfactory. If facial hair is causing you distress it is worth trying laser hair removal for sure if you have the type of skin which works well with laser treatment
• Do not go out in the sun before and after facial laser hair removal, use a sun bed or a fake tanning product. You want the difference in your skin and hair to be as marked as possible. Also do not bleach your upper lip hair for best results!
• Laser face hair removal has only one rival in effectiveness. Electrolysis is the only proven permanent method of dealing with facial hair for everyone. It is long and slow compared with laser treatment but it does work and is the best method of permanent hair removal if you have dark skin or fair hair.

There are several solutions for female facial hair removal so there is no need to despair if you have a problem with unwanted facial hair. What you do not want to do, in any event, is to mimic the male method of facial hair removal and start shaving the hair off. All you will do if you do that is to give yourself a potential 5 o’ clock shadow and stubble problem.

Here are the methods I would consider useful for unwanted facial hair removal for women.

1. Depilatory Cream

Depilatory ranges such as Nair hair removal cream and Veet usually have special facial hair removal creams with a more sensitive formula than general depilatory creams. They are very effective at removing hair and, as long as they do not irritate you, they leave skin looking healthy and smooth. Remember to do a patch test if you use a facial hair removal cream in case your skin reacts badly to the chemicals in the product. The main problems with these creams is that you have to repeat the process every few days as the hair grows back quickly (although not so quickly as shaving).

2. Bleaching

Bleaching is not really a method of removing facial hair but it can be useful to disguise very fine yet dark down growing on your face. Once the hair is lightened it will be much less obvious. It may be all you need to do to correct your problem so it is worth a try if the hair growth is fine. You can bleach specially formulated for facial hair such as Jolen cream bleach.

3. Waxing

You can buy facial hair removal wax strips which allow you to pull the hair out from the roots using cold wax so that there is no chance of burning your face with a hot wax solution. These cold wax strips are generally quite effective and you can cut the strips in sizes to suit and sort out the problem in the privacy of your own home. Your skin will be a little sore after waxing but redness should settle down within an hour or two.

4. Laser Hair Removal

You can have professional facial laser hair removal and, if you have skin and hair which reacts well to the treatment, your hair growth will be noticeably reduced and may even disappear for good. Laser treatment is fairly expensive but as the face is such a small area it is in the reach of many. You will probably need six or so sessions costing around $100 each. Laser treatment works best if your skin is light and your hair is dark and may not work at all on fair hair or dark skin.

5. Electrolysis

The best way of all to remove facial hair for women is electrolysis. Although electrolysis is quite slow and you may need a number of sessions over many months it is going to be permanent by the end of your course of treatment and you will never have to worry about the problem again. In the absence of a facial hair remover in the shape of a magic wand it is the best solution we have to female facial hair removal at the moment and there does not seem to be anything coming up to replace it. See Permanent facial hair removal for more about facial electrolysis or laser treatment.