One of the most common questions we are asked is how to get rid of moustaches and, to a lesser extent, other areas of facial hair. We recommend having an appointed 'facial hair buddy' who will tell you when you're sprouting, and you can reciprocate. Mole hairs, in particular, make a break for it after menopause and, as eyesight fades, they can be easily missed.
Now conversely, one of the great blessings of agening is that elsewhere on the body hair becomes finer and may even disappear all together. But if you are still fighting excess hair anywhere on the face/ body, here's a useful rundown of all the removal techniques you need to know about.
One warning with moustaches: depending on the density of down on the rest of your face, completely removing your moustache may leave an obvious hairline patch. In this case, electrolysis is a good option as the therapist can just take out the coarser, more visible hairs. Alternatively, you could have the whole of your face threaded.
Never shave your face. Shaving a moustache leads to stubble, and you eventually end up having to do it every day, and fretting over someone feeling a bristly upper lip when they kiss you.
First try bleaching - not so much removal as a disguise. Many of us grew up with creme bleach, and for fine, sparse moustache hairs, its still an option. However, it can sting so much, particularly on your face, that you end up red-skinned with varying shades of ginger facial hair because you have had to wash it off too soon. Bleach comes in different versions for face and body; get the right one! And read and follow the instructions to the letter; do a patch test first, every time, don't use with fruit acids of any kind, and only use on the areas it's listed as safe for.
Experiment with tweezing. Simple, cheap and great for eyebrows, but not recommended for more than the odd stray hair on the rest of your face as it may irritate hair follicles, causing sensitivity and even scarring.
Melt hair clean away with a depilatory cream. These relatively cheap products dissolve hair at the base of the follicle and are useful for legs and underarms (though you'll need to do it often), less so for the face as even dedicated facial versions may irritate sensitive skin, and may not remove the hairs.
Find a good salon, and try waxing. With waxing, warm/ hot wax is applied to skin, then ripped off with a muslin strip bringing the hair with it. It's usually effective for upper lip and fine hair on the sides of your face, but not suitable for coarser hair on chin. Never let the therapist use metal knife for this: it may burn your skin - they should only use a wooden implement, and we like salons best which provide a hygienic pack in which every single spatula is used once only, rather than repeatedly dipped.
Get sweet on sugaring. Sugaring uses the same procedure as waxing except that the sugar tends to stick only to the hairs not the skin - so it can be more comfortable. It doesn't need a skilled practitioner to be effective.
Or try threading. This is an ancient method of hair removal practices in Asian countries. A pure, thin twisted cotton thread is rolled rapidly over untidy areas. As well as shaping brows, skilled practitioner can remove hair anywhere on the face, all over if desired. Its not painful, but not comfy. Again its temporary and needs upkeep.
For permanent hair removal, look at electrolysis. A fine needle conducting an electric current is inserted into the hair follicle, destroying it. You may need several sessions with some maintenance later, but its an idea option for small number of coarse facial hairs, although it is impractical for larger areas.
Laser hair removal is another option. Here, the hair follicle is effectively cauterised with a laser. It's perfect choice for upper lip hair. Advances in technology mean that any hair with pigment in it can be lasered. There used to be a problem treating colored skin but new lasers protect tanned, Asian or black skin from losing pigment. These newer modified lasers incorporate cooling technology.
Be aware: laser hair removal won't give results overnight. It will take between three and six sessions to get the optimum reduction of hair growth, depending on the thickness. None of the lasers will totally and permanently remove all hair, but this method will achieve up to 70 or 80 percent in a lot of patients, and patients can come back for maintenance sessions.
Don't go near laser if you have pigmentation problems. Laser hair removal is not suitable for anyone with vitiligo (patches of de-pigmented skin) as it may stimulate new areas. Anyone with eczema, psoriasis, hives or urticaria should have a patch test first.
Beware of IPL. Many beauty salons offer treatment with IPL (Intense Pulsed Light), as do some cosmetic surgery clinics. And be very careful where you have any laser of IPL treatment. You should go to an experienced physician at a reputable clinic.
A final caution: very occasionally, with these high tech methods of hair removal, hair growth may be stimulated instead of reduced, due to technology not delivering enough energy to the hair follicle; usually the problem can be overcome by switching to a different laser system. But it's another big argument for going to someone who is trained properly and experienced.