Managing excess facial hair, especially on your chin and upper lip, can be challenging when trying to attend a party or a special occasion. While having peach fuzz and a bit of facial hair is quite normal, conditions like hormonal disorders like PCOS and hirsutism, which trigger the growth of thick dark hair, can affect your self-confidence. In case you are tired of plucking, shaving, or waxing your upper lip and chin and are on the lookout for a long-term solution, then opt for a laser hair removal procedure[1].
You can eliminate excess hair on your upper lip, chin, and sideburns with laser treatment. Study shows that laser therapy helps remove unwanted hair among people dealing with hirsutism[2]. This explains why laser treatment for facial hair is an ideal choice for people undergoing a gender-transitioning process to look more feminine. Read on to know why laser hair removal for the upper lip and chin, its benefits, expectations, and side effects to stay well-informed before getting one.
How Laser Hair Removal Works?
Laser hair removal uses concentrated light energy pulses to pass through the treatment area to perform photothermolysis. This process destroys or damages the hair roots in your hair follicles to prevent them from growing back more robust. The beam of laser light gets converted into thermal energy upon reaching the follicles, which prevents its ability to regrow hair[3]. So, the hair that grows after the treatment on the upper lip and chin will be fantastic and scanty.
Why Consider Laser Treatment for Upper Lip & Chin?
Laser treatment is very effective in removing unwanted hair on your chin or upper lip, as it offers long-term results and is very safe to treat facial hair[4]. This hair removal procedure targets your facial hair when it is in the anagen phase to prevent quick regrowth[5]. As the upper lip and chin hairs might be in varied hair growth cycles during the treatment, your doctor might suggest a few more sessions to achieve long-lasting results.
At any given time, only 20% of your facial hair in the treatment site would be in the anagen phase so you can expect the same percentage of hair reduction after your first laser session. You will need around 6 sessions to achieve a complete hair reduction effect. Plus, laser hair removal is ideal for clients having darker and thicker facial hair, as laser beam works better on hair with darker pigment[6]. It also helps prevent ingrown hair growth caused by shaving or waxing.
Top 7 Benefits of Laser Hair Removal for Upper Lip & Chin
The following are the 7 best benefits of choosing laser hair removal for the upper lip and chin.
1. Very Safe and Effective
The lasers used for hair removal are approved by the FDA[7], making them a safe and effective choice to remove upper lip and chin hair. It focuses only on the problem area and works on the hair follicles to prevent regrowth.
2. Delivers Long-lasting Results
The results of laser hair removal are long-lasting when compared to other hair removal methods[8]. Most people experience permanent hair loss within five to eight sessions, and others will notice a drastic reduction of hair in the problem area[9].
3. High Precision Method
The laser beam used in this hair removal procedure is targets the hair follicles in the specific area without causing damage to the surrounding cells[10]. They are applied on your skin with high precision to do the job perfectly without causing harm to other areas of the face. The sleek shape of the laser devices helps reach the hairs in hard-to-reach places like your upper lip, thereby eliminating even the ingrown hairs.
4. Quick and Convenient
Laser treatment deals with hundreds of hair follicles in a specific treatment area. Each laser pulse travels with impressive light speed to reach one follicle in less than one second. It is popularly called lunchtime treatment, as one session lasts around 5 minutes for small treatment areas like the chin or upper lip. Plus, there isn’t any downtime for this procedure, which makes it a convenient choice.
5. Cost-Effective and Time-saving
Once the laser hair removal procedure is done, you will know how it saves you a lot of time and money you had to spend buying razors and products while shaving and waxing. Do checkout the cost of laser hair removal cost to make an informed decision.
6. Enhanced Skin Colour and Texture
Repeated activities like waxing or shaving might have caused uneven skin colour and pigmentation. With laser treatment, you get rid of these risks and get an even skin tone.
7. No Skin Issues and Ingrown Hairs
A major benefit of opting for the laser hair removal method is that it lowers the chance of developing skin diseases like folliculitis or inflammation of hair follicles[11]. Plus, the chances of developing ingrown hairs between your sessions are very low due to sparse and fine hair growth.
Pros and Cons of Laser Hair Removal for Upper Lip & Chin
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Long-term results | 1. Initial high cost compared to other methods |
| 2. Reduces hair growth over time | 2. Temporary redness, swelling, and discomfort |
| 3. Saves time and money in the long run | 3. Multiple sessions required for best results |
| 4. Smoother skin without stubble or ingrown hairs | 4. Risk of burns or hyperpigmentation for darker skin types |
| 5. Less painful than waxing over time | 5. Not effective for light or gray hairs |
| 6. Rare side effects like blistering or scarring |
Laser Hair Removal Procedure: What to Expect
Before The Laser Treatment
- Firstly, the treatment area where the laser hair removal procedure will be cleaned thoroughly.
- Then, a numbing gel would be applied on your upper lip and chin half an hour before commencing the treatment.
During The Laser Hair Removal Procedure
- Once the treatment site is ready, the skin will be held taut when it is treated using a laser device.
- During the procedure, you might feel a slight pinprick-like sensation or continuous snapping of an elastic band.
- It is a painless procedure with minimal discomfort, which goes away after some time.
- Hair removal using a laser therapy session requires just a few minutes and can be performed during a break at work.
- Your doctor might suggest more sessions set apart after every four or five weeks to allow your facial hair to go through the hair growth cycle.
- If required, your doctor might also advise you to get touch-up treatment in the future.
After the Laser Treatment
- You can resume your everyday activities after the laser session.
- Avoid exercising and exposing your skin to direct sunlight.
- Stay patient to witness the results, as it might take around 3 weeks to see a visible difference in the hair present on your upper lip or chin.
- After completing the number of sessions suggested by your physician, you can find a dramatic difference after a couple of weeks.
Side Effects and Considerations
Common side effects of laser hair removal treatment are:
- Uneven distribution of skin tone on the treatment site
- Scarring, crusting and blistering are rare side effects
- Skin irritation, swelling, and a reddish look are common side effects
- Slight pain in the treatment area
- Risk of developing eye injury or infection due to lack of eye protection during the procedure
The laser hair removal procedure at times make your skin look red and slightly inflamed for 2 days after the session. Your doctor will advise you to apply sunscreen to hydrate and protect your skin. You can apply ice packs and a cold compress to manage the swelling and redness. It is advisable to use sunscreen until your next session to prevent the development of any serious risks. Avoid waxing your skin after your laser session to prevent adverse effects.
Number of Sessions Required
Your physician would suggest two to six sessions of laser hair removal procedure based on the extent of your hair growth on the upper lip and chin. Each session would be scheduled with an interval of four to eight weeks, as facial hair grows fast.
Alternative Hair Removal Methods
Listed below are some of the alternatives for laser hair removal methods. However, these methods can keep your upper lip and chin without hair for a day or two, as the regrowth would be faster. Plus, it would help if you used them at least once a week, and they might need about 30 minutes or an hour of your time. There are natural remedies facial hair removal too which might work but again the effect might be for only short duration.
1. Waxing
Hair waxing is applied by hot melted wax over your chin or upper lip. Then, a thick cloth or wax strip is pressed and removed by tugging in the opposite direction to remove hair. It is an excruciating procedure, and the hair regrowth appears after a week.
2. Depilatory Creams
This painless and non-intrusive hair removal method is quick and effective if you need a quick fix when attending an occasion. However, these creams contain strong chemicals that dissolve the hair strands to remove them and can cause discoloration. The hair grows back faster, making you invest more after a week.
3. Threading
This painful method removes unwanted facial hair by following the traditional thr4eading process. It significantly causes too much pain and discomfort when eliminating inches on sensitive areas like the chin and upper lip.
4. Shaving
Despite being a popular method of hair removal, shaving threatens your skin, as it can rob your skin of its natural oils, encourage ingrown hair growth, and trigger quick hair growth. As shaving razors are designed to cut the hair without reaching its tip, the hair that grows back appears darker and thicker.
Conclusion
If you wish to get a safe and effective laser hair removal treatment for your upper lip and chin, contact the skin experts at Kolors Healthcare to get more information. Their skin specialists are adept at answering your questions, addressing your concerns, and ensuring positive results.
References
- Joseph Lepselter (EndyMed Medical), Monica Elman (Elman Medical Clinics Israel) – https://www.researchgate.net
- Alizadeh N, Ayyoubi S, Naghipour M, Hassanzadeh R, Mohtasham-Amiri Z, Zaresharifi S, Gharaei Nejad K – https://www.dovepress.com
- Sandy S Tsao MD, George J Hruza MD – https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/laser-hair-removal
- Center for Plastic Surgery and Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, Plastische Chirurgie und Laserzentrum Innsbruck, Innsbruck, 6020, Austria – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31579971/
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Hospital of the Barmherzige Brüder, Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, 5020, Salzburg, Austria – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31579971/
- Tanvi Vaidya; Marc H. Hohman; Dinesh Kumar D – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507861/
- Food and Drug Administration – https://www.fda.gov/
- A. Krasniqi, D. P. McClurg, K. J. Gillespie & S. Rajpara (2022) Efficacy of lasers and light sources in long-term hair reduction: a systematic review, Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy – https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14764172.2022.2075899
- Jeffrey S. Orringer, University of Michigan (Responsible Party) – https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT00279643
- M Haedersdal, HC Wulf – https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1468-3083.2005.01327.x
- Cutis Institute of Dermatology, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6484575/
