All you need to know about facial hair

This month, I wanted to get into the intriguing topic of face shaving, especially for women. Recently, I've observed a growing trend among women who have incorporated face shaving into their skincare routines. While this practice, known as derma-planing, has been in existence for a long time, its popularity has surged in the past few years, largely due to the influence of social media.

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The Historical Perspective

Every woman has facial hair. Face shaving isn’t a new concept; in fact, it has historical roots that trace back to iconic figures such as Queen Elizabeth, Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor, who discreetly shaved their faces as part of their beauty regimen. However, this practice was shrouded in secrecy. Today, it has become more openly discussed.

There are two types of hair: Vellus hair and Terminal hair.

Vellus hair is very fine and translucent if you scrutinize your face, especially in bright sunlight, you may be able to see Vellus hair on your cheeks, forehead, upper and lower lips, neck, chin, and sideburn area.

Terminal hair is darker and thicker. Some women have terminal hair along their upper and lower lips, sideburns, neck, and chin.

Facial shaving can be used to remove both vellus and terminal hair.

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Pros and Cons of Face Shaving for Women

When considering the practice of face shaving for women, it's important to weigh the pros and cons to make an informed decision. Apart from hair removal, facial shaving can also serve as a physical exfoliant by removing dead skin cells. While this exfoliation can be advantageous for some women, it may present challenges for others.

 Pros:

• Exfoliation Benefits: Utilizing shaving as a method of exfoliation can lead to smoother and brighter skin by sloughing off dead skin cells.
• Clean Canvas : shaving your face remove hair, debris access oil, and dead skin cell ,which can brighten the look of skin this helps makeup go on smoothly

Cons:

• Skin Conditions Caution: Prior to engaging in face shaving, it's crucial to assess your skin if you have conditions like eczema, psoriasis, rashes, inflammation or acne. Shaving on sensitive or irritated skin may exacerbate discomfort and potentially lead to infections.
• Ingrown Hairs: shaving off Velous hair will not cause ingrown hairs, but shaving terminal hair can cause these painful bumps to erupt
• Damage to the skin : shaving carries the risk of nicks and cuts that may bleed and sting during shaving. Can also cause razor burn.
• Dryness and itching if you have dry skin shaving may dry it out further and feel uncomfortable. It may also cause flaking and itching. Moisturizing immediately afterwards should help to avoid this con.

When you shave, the razor blunts the edge of the hair, resulting in a stubbly feel. This may create the illusion of thicker or darker hair growth. However, in reality, shaving does not typically lead to a permanent change in hair texture or color.

For women, the best way to shave your facial hair has to be different than how men do it. It’s also different from the way you shave your legs or under arms.

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To effectively shave your face

1. Clean your skin first and dry, completely facial shaving is typically done on the naked skin without shaving cream or products of any kind. Some women may find try shaving irritating to their skin. If you do, you can use shaving gel, moisturizing lotion, or cream on your face before shaving.
2. Use straight edge, single blade, razor designed specifically for women facial shaving this product or sometimes refer as the eyebrow shaving razor or derma-planing tools.
3. To avoid nicking or irritating your skin, never use a dull razor.
4. When shaving, hold the skin taut with one hand, hold the razor at 45 degree angle and gently graze the skin with short light strokes, while applying as little pressure as possible. Always shave with the hairs grain rather than against it.
5. Don’t shave near your eyes, unless you are completely confident in your ability with the razor.
6. Following the shaving process, it is recommended to apply a gentle toner and moisturizer promptly. This post-shaving skincare routine helps to soothe the skin, restore moisture balance, and enhance the overall health and appearance of your skin. By incorporating a toner and moisturizer immediately after shaving, you can promote skin hydration and ensure a refreshed and revitalized complexion.

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What are the alternatives to facial shaving?

• Waxing unlike shaving, which removes hair at the skin surface, removes hair from underneath the skin, at the root. It lasts longer than shaving, but carries some of the same risk such as causing ingrown hairs, and skin irritation.
• Laser hair removal laser, hair remover is a long lasting, semi permanent solution for facial hair removal. It must be done by a professional, such as a dermatologist or licensed aesthetician. Laser hair removal can be expensive, but may provide many hair-free years for women with terminal face hair, making it worth the expense for some.

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If you are seeing more facial hair than usual

Talk to a doctor. Medical issues and hormonal irregularities can also cause an overgrowth of facial hair in women. Excess of dark facial hair can sometimes be genetic, for example certain ethnic may include women that have more facial hair than others.