Hairy Lip

[alisonnice]

I have a v hairy top lip. ALthough the hairs are not very coarse, they are dark and fine and there are lots of them, so I get this horrible shawdow on my lip and basically have a moustache. I wax or bleach to keep it under control but there is a permanant shadow there.

My problem is that every time I am talking to someone, I am so self conscious about my lip that I can’t concentrate on what people are saying and I feel they are looking at it all the time. This affects how I go about my life. I don’t want to draw attention to myself in conversations and so I keep quite and don’t speak up when I should do!! I constantly want to check myself in the mirror to check how my face looks in whatever lighting is in the room. I don’t look people in the eye and sometimes don’t even want to go out.

I have asked a few friends about it and my mum, and they just say I am being paranoid, so what am I looking in the mirror at, there’s nothing wrong with my eyesight, and I’m not crazy and so I figure they are just being nice or are too embarrased to say anything. I feel silly as well making such a big deal of it when people have so many other far worse problems in their lives.

However, it is so horrible because it affects your self esteem and confidence and you just wanna stop thinking about it, but its always there and sometimes its all I think about.

HELP!!!

[gem]

Ali:

I would say if the hair brothers you it’s time to rid yourself of the problem.

A simple solution and easy would be to have it waxed. The first time have an experienced person do it, then get some Sergi-wax and do it your self at home.

Later, if you want a perm solution, get electrolsis or laser.

[Deedra]

I think you better be careful not to put laser in the same catagory as electrolysis, as being a permanent solution.

Dee

[calgal1071]

alisonnice - I totally sympathise. I have a similar problem, fine soft upper lip hair, but plenty of it, which I’ve bleached for the past 15 years.
I have browsed this site for the past year pondring what would be the best solution… and to cut along story short have my first laser treatment in 2 days time!
I’ll post here after the “event” and let you know my experience.
My family also say they barely notice it, my hubby says “It only shows in certain lights” !!! but it’s what I notice first when I look in the mirror and it’s not getting nay better with age!

I suggest you reserach the options here on this excellent website thoroughly, and then take some sort of action suited to your needs and budget. Although I am scared witless about my forthcoming laser experience I do feel great to be finally doing something about it.

If laser doesn’t work out I’m going for the waxing option!
Will let you know how I get on.

[bebba]

bebba

[alisonnice]

Thanks beautiful people for your replies and advice.

This forum is so great to share these things with people that are going through treatments. I feel so much better in myself just ‘talking’ about it like this.

We are getting an honest opinion, and not the commercial hype and false advertising. (I had a treatment called epil2000 for a year which cost me heaps and I didn’t see any good results although these were promised!!! grrrrrr!!! Oh well, you live and learn)

CALGAL - did you have your first laser treatment. How did it go??? Hope it wasn’t too painful!!! I’d be interested to know what sort of laser you had.
Please let me know how it all went and is going.

I think I am going to go for the electrolysis option, my problem is that I only have 2 months before I am going travelling, so don’t know whether it will be worth it but if I get treatments every week it might, I will have to discuss this all with the beautician. Electrolysis sounds to be the most reliable method I think. I live in a rural area and there is only one place that does laser, which would involve loads of travelling, so this has kinda decided it for me as well.

Thanks again - ali xx

[calgal1071]

Alisonnice

I had the first laser treatment yesterday … I was so nervous.

I’d already been for a test patch (under my ear)
The machine was an Aurora which I beleive is an intermitant pulsed light, not technically laser, but still called laser.

Anyway first I had to shave , never done that before to my face, and I did it really poorly, so the Nurse kind of re-did it with a dry disposable razor (said it didn’t need to be that thorough)
Then I held a cold air pipe to my upper lip to cool the skin. The laser was put to my face where the skin was further cooled by the laser head itself for about 5 seconds, then the Nurse said 1,2 ,3 … NOW!
I flinched and felt … nothing LOL!!

I needed 5 more zaps and by the end it did feel a bit warm, but I could never call it pain. It was all over in 5 minutes.

She said the machine gave her feedback numbers that told her how hot my skin had got, and this is how she knows how high to set the laser. Next time it will go higher she said. I barely had any redness, she put on aloe gel and then sunscreen.

It felt hot and burnt for an hour, (I used one of those first aid packs that you squeeze and goes cold) and since has been fine, smoothish because of the shaving, and looks great

However … I’m waiting for the grim day the stubble starts to show, and I am wondering about the efficacy of it as a lot of the hairs were fine and blondish. Laser works best on dark coarse hair. Still even if I get a 25% reduction I’ll be happy and at $25 a go (about 18 GBP) it’s not breaking the bank.
I guess only time can tell, and I know I’m going to have to wait 9 months or so until I can get a true picture of the results.

Bebba - I wonder why your laser hurt and mine didn’t. The Nurse said she had it set at 20 (joules?)
I keep worrying that it was too low to do anything! Honestly there seems no pleasing me, first I’m nervous about the pain and now I’m complaining when there isn’t any!
I am encouraged by your results, what kind of hair did you have, and what kind of machine did they use?

Ali - I can see that it would be hard to do laser if your’e going travelling, and if there isn’t a centre near you. I’m English but living in USA, so I know what it’s like.
Electrolysis sounds a good option too, seems you’ve tried waxing and bleaching - I may well be trying it after all this!!

If you have electrolysis done let me know how it goes.

[bebba]

Calgal1071: I think the machine was set at 25 the first time. The hair in that area was thick and dark. I was looking at it this morning and decided to get 1 or 2 more treatments. My skin is very light olive toned and the hair was black and now is very light brown. The machine that is used is the Lightsheer Diode. I am glad that you had little pain or discomfort. Take Care

[calgal1071]

alisonice and bebba
Don’t know if you’re still reading here, but thought I’d update you now that I am 2 weeks post that first laser treatment - IT IS FANTASTIC!!

A little bit of blondish stubble, could feel it but not see it, now the hairs are longer, but not noticable unless I get really close to the mirror.
One side of my upper lip is almost hairless, the other has light hairs ??!! Guess it worked better on one side for some reason.

I haven’t had to shave at all, and all my worries about dark stubble fortunately haven’t come true.
I can’t wait for my next treatment.

How is it going or you both? I’d love to know

[bebba]

Calgal
I am glad to hear that your happy with your results so far! . I do not want to bleach every week so I guess it’s either that or look into electrolysis next for the remaining hairs. Good luck and keep us posted.

[bebba]

Oh Yeah… also the hair that comes back is a VAST improvement to what I looked like before. I had thick dark course hairs on upper lip, chin, neck and on some of my cheeks and sideburns. So all in all, I have the results that I expected after 5 treatments which is about 70% reduction and the hairs are light in color and soft in texture. Can’t wait to see results after 6 and 7 treatments.
Happy Easter!

[calgal1071]

Hi there Bebba,
It’s July now, I’ve had 4 upper lip treatments and due to that suceess now have had 2 chin treatments. I am still very pleased with the upper lip results. 90% reduction, have to shave the occasional few hairs now and then.
The chin however is not so good. Hardly any reduction in hair after 2 treatments, having to shave every day and have that shadow all the time.
I wonder if it’s beacsue I used to pluck these hairs whereas I did nothing but bleach the upper lip hairs. It’s hard to resist the temptation to pluck these coarse dark chin hairs, but I’ll be patient and see the cousre through. I can defintely feel the chin laser, like a hot pin prick.

Glad that you have had such good results. Did you pluck chin hairs ever?