Spotting Menopause Whiskers? They’re Normal—Here’s How to Manage
When women reach a certain age, many begrudgingly (and involuntarily) notice fewer hairs on their heads and more on their faces. If you, too, woke up one morning to discover a few dark, coarse upper-lip friends looking back at you in the mirror, you’re not alone.
Meet the experts: Somi Javaid, M.D., board-certified ob/gyn and founder of HerMD; Donna Hart, M.D., a dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology in Cedar Park, Texas.
Menopausal facial hair is a real thing and it’s very common, says Somi Javaid, M.D., board-certified ob/gyn and founder of HerMD.
What is menopausal facial hair?
“Many women experience the growth of coarse facial hair during menopause,”says Dr. Javaid. It’s normal to have had peach fuzz or vellus hairs throughout adulthood, she adds, but terminal hairs—coarse, dark, and beard-like—tend to pop up or intensify with age, particularly on the chin, upper lip, and sides of the face, adds Donna Hart, M.D., a dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology in Cedar Park, Texas. “This is often accompanied by difficulty in growing scalp hair or scalp hair loss as well, which are both normal phenomena in menopause,” she says.
Menopausal facial hair causes
Menopause is trademarked by its intense hormonal fluctuations—primarily the steady fall of estrogen. “As the amount of estrogen in the body decreases, the relative amount of testosterone increases and stimulates facial hair growth,” Dr. Hart explains—particularly, the growth of those dark terminal hairs.
How to get rid of menopausal facial hair
Dr. Javaid and Dr. Hart say there are a few different de-fuzzing routes you can go:
Physical at-home hair removal: Any methods you use to remove other body hair, you can use on your face. That includes waxing, tweezing, hair removal creams, and threading, Dr. Hart says. Also, specifically for the face, there is a technique called dermaplaning, which shaves hairs using a medical grade scalpel. “This can be done with a medical professional or at home,” Dr. Javaid adds.
If you decide to try it at home, there are special dermaplaning tools you can get that are made with safety in mind. “Make sure to keep the skin taut, use short strokes, and keep it at a 45-degree angle in the direction of the hair growth,” Marisa Garshick, M.D., F.A.A.D., a board-certified dermatologist based in New York previously told Prevention.
Laser hair removal: If the hair has not turned white, which then won’t respond to lasers, Dr. Javaid says this is an option.
Prescription medications: Dr. Hart says there are topical and oral prescription medications that can slow down facial hair growth, including spironolactone, a medication typically prescribed to treat acne, and eflornithine cream, which slows hair growth using a topical enzyme.
When to see a doctor about excess facial hair
Menopausal changes—including facial hair—are totally normal, and thankfully, straggling strands are harmless and easy to remove, if they bother you. With that being said, if you feel like your whiskers ever multiply to an extent that feels concerning, it’s worth letting your doctor know, because excess facial hair can be linked to adrenal disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and hormonal fluctuations linked to a tumor, Dr. Javaid says. “Please see a medical provider to obtain the correct diagnosis before making a health care plan,” she stresses.
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