Q: Why do women get chin hairs as they get older – and what’s the best way to remove them so they don’t grow back darker and thicker?
If you’re a woman who gets new, unwanted chin hair, the first thing to know is that most of the time, “this is completely normal,” says Dr. Joel L. Cohen, a dermatologist and director of AboutSkin Dermatology. and DermSurgery in Denver.
As women get closer to menopause, he said, the balance of hormones in their bodies shifts and they may start to produce more male hormones known as androgens. These androgens, said Dr. Cohen, the kind of hair follicles that women typically have on their faces — the ones that produce short, thin, light hair known as peach fuzz — can transform into follicles that make thicker, darker hair.
As for why some women sprout these hairs and others don’t, that’s often due to genetics, said Dr. Angela Lamb, a board-certified dermatologist at Mount Sinai in New York City. If you are growing unwanted hair and so is your mother, sister or grandmother, it is a good sign that this type of hair growth runs in the family.
How to remove them?
There are many safe ways to remove unwanted facial hair, such as epilation, waxing, threading, shaving or using depilatory creams. If you’re concerned that any of these techniques will cause your hair to grow back thicker, you can relax on that front. “It’s a myth,” said Dr. Lamb. In fact, the opposite can happen: Waxing, plucking or threading can reduce hair growth, as some hair follicles become damaged by the removal process and stop producing hair, she said.
Another way to control unwanted hair growth is to use a prescription cream called Vaniqa, which makes hair grow slower, finer, and possibly lighter in color when applied twice a day. But the cream only works for as long as it’s used — once you stop applying it, hair will grow back the way it grew before, said Dr. Lamb.
If you want to permanently remove chin hair, you may want to consider laser hair removal or electrolysis, said Dr. Lamb, both of which work by damaging the hair follicles so that it stops producing hair. Electrolysis, which can be done by a doctor or esthetician at a medical spa — which involves inserting a needle into the hair follicle and damaging the root with an electrical current — is safe for all skin and hair types. Laser hair removal, which uses laser light to heat and destroy the hair follicles, can also be done in a doctor’s office or medical spa. But it often doesn’t effectively remove light-colored hair, and some types of lasers can’t be used safely on darker skin tones because they can burn the skin, Dr. Cohen on. One that’s safe for all skin types, he said, is a new laser hair removal device called Bare HR, which is available in some medical spas and doctor’s offices.
You can buy laser or IPL therapy devices for home use, which are also an option for lighter skin tones and damage hair follicles by heating them. But these devices are often less effective, work more slowly and require more treatments than those done professionally, said Dr. Lamb.
When unusual hair growth is cause for concern
If you notice more hair growth than usual, and it appears not only on your face, but also on your chest, lower abdomen, inner thighs, or back, you may want to see a doctor. This type of excessive hair growth, called hirsutism, can be caused by genetics or as a side effect of certain medications. In many cases it is nothing to worry about. But hirsutism can also be a symptom of another medical condition that requires treatment, said Dr. Lamb.
One condition that can cause hirsutism is polycystic ovary syndrome, so named because small cysts grow in the ovaries. These cysts lead to increased androgen production, which promotes hair growth, explained Dr. Cohen out, resulting in coarser, darker hair. Other symptoms of PCOS include menstrual irregularities, weight gain, and acne. It’s important for women with PCOS symptoms to see a doctor, said Dr. Lamb, because if left untreated, it can lead to infertility. Usually, PCOS is treated with lifestyle changes and medications, including birth control, progestin therapy, or the antidiabetic medication metformin.
Long-term use of corticosteroids, which are used to treat some autoimmune diseases and asthma, can also lead to changes in hair growth patterns, including overgrowth, said Dr. cohen. That’s because they, too, stimulate androgen production in the body.
Most of the time, though, it’s nothing to worry about extra hair sprouting, and it’s quite common. “People ask me about it all the time,” said Dr. Lamb.
Melinda Wenner Moyer is a science journalist.