Many women deal with unwanted facial hair. Here's what they should know.

There are lots of things women don’t want. Several that come to mind: They do not want to listen to mansplaining. They do not want to be told to smile more. They do not want to be gaslit. 

And many do not want hair growth in certain areas, like their faces. 

It’s familiar to many of us to pull out our tweezers when a lone chin hair decides to make a comeback. But if it’s coming in thicker or more frequently, you may want to see your primary care doctor or dermatologist to identify the cause. 

More broadly – if you are searching for how to stop facial hair growth – we did some digging to find you some answers. 

What causes facial hair growth in women?

To find out more about what causes hair growth in women, we spoke with Dr. Mary Alice Mina, a double-board certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon practicing at Baucom & Mina Derm Surgery, LLC in Atlanta, Georgia, and host of THE SKIN REAL podcast.

“The cause could be from a number of things including medications, hormonal imbalance, nutritional status and genetics,” Mina explains. 

What are the different types of facial hairs in women?

Mina explains, “Some facial hair is more coarse and this is called hirsutism while other facial hairs are softer and what we call vellus hairs. The cause and treatment are different depending on the type of facial hair growth.” 

Is there a medication to stop female facial hair growth?

If the cause is hirsutism, a condition in which women experience dark, coarse, hair growth on the face, chest and back – there are a few treatment options. The Mayo Clinic outlines a few of them: 

• Contraceptives like birth control pills. 
• Anti-androgen medications. 
• Topical creams like eflornithine (Vaniqa). 

Besides medications, there are a few procedures that can help as well, like laser therapy and electrolysis (although this can be painful).

How to stop facial hair growth in females naturally

Since obesity can cause hirsutism, weight loss can help control hormone levels. 

Other “natural” remedies haven’t been proven to be effective – however, getting enough B vitamins through diet is vital for the health of our hair and our bodies in general. 

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Besides stunting the growth of facial hair, it can also be removed as it comes in by waxing or threading. 

There are lots of things women don’t want – but there are also things we do want – and one of those things is to feel confident in our own skin. If you are concerned about hair growth on your face, reach out to your physician for treatment options. 

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