Permanently removing upper lip and facial hair: laser, LED and alternatives
Upper lip hair, individual chin hairs or vellus hair on the cheeks and sideburns bother many women more than hair anywhere else. Which method helps depends above all on hair colour: dark hairs are a case for the laser, blonde vellus hair is not. This page covers causes, a comparison of shaving, threading, waxing and electrolysis, sessions, top-ups and the risk of increased hair growth.
Suitable devices are the AlexDUAL UFO with alexandrite and Nd:YAG for dark facial hair on skin types I to VI, the DEWEON 4LD diode laser for all skin types and the VCL DERMALIGHT LED system for light, blonde and fine hair.
What causes upper lip hair in women and why do some women have more facial hair than others?
In most cases predisposition is behind it: how much hair grows on the face and how dark it is depends on ancestry, hair colour and family. Every woman has hair follicles on the upper lip, chin and cheeks. In dark-haired women the vellus hair is simply more visible than in blonde women. The hairs become coarser when the follicles respond to male hormones, for example during the menopause or in PCOS. If noticeably more hair suddenly grows, this should be investigated by a doctor.
For treatment, the colour of the hair matters more than the cause. The AlexDUAL UFO targets dark facial hair with its alexandrite laser, even when it is fine. The LED system VCL DERMALIGHT is intended for blonde vellus hair.
Dark hairs or blonde peach fuzz on the upper lip: which method suits which hair?
Dark hairs are treated with the laser, blonde vellus hair with LED, white hairs with the electrolysis needle. The laser needs melanin in the hair in order to carry heat down to the root. Dark upper lip hairs on fair skin are the ideal case for this. Here the alexandrite laser in the AlexDUAL UFO works with a spot that can be reduced to 10 mm. On dark skin, the Nd:YAG in the same device takes over.
Blonde, fine vellus hair contains too little pigment for the laser. The VCL DERMALIGHT is designed for this, an LED system with 750 to 890 nm for light, blonde and fine hair. A simple test: if you can only see the hairs shimmering when backlit, it is vellus hair.
Can women have hair on the cheeks and sideburns removed by laser?
Yes, if the hairs are dark and visibly coarse; with pure vellus hair it is better not to. Dark, longer hairs that respond well often grow on the sideburns and jawline. On the cheeks, by contrast, it is usually fine vellus hair with little pigment. There the laser achieves little and in rare cases can even stimulate the hairs. The boundary with the hairline is also important: it is marked beforehand so that the contour at the temple remains natural and no scalp hair is lost.
Dark sideburn hairs are treated with the AlexDUAL UFO, which is designed for face and body. The LED system VCL DERMALIGHT is intended for light, fine vellus hair on the cheeks.
Individual dark chin hairs: why is plucking not a permanent solution and what helps instead?
Plucking removes the hair together with its root, but the follicle remains intact and after a few weeks produces a new hair that is just as coarse. On the chin this often leads to ingrown hairs, minor inflammation and dark spots. Because new hairs appear there over the years anyway, tweezing becomes a never-ending task. In the long term, the only thing that helps is to target the follicle itself. For dark chin hairs, the laser achieves a marked, long-term reduction, even if there are only 10 or 20 hairs.
You must not pluck for 4 weeks before laser treatment, otherwise the hair will be missing from the root. Trim or shave the hairs during this time. The AlexDUAL UFO treats small areas with a spot size from 10 mm.
Does shaving really make facial hair thicker, darker or more plentiful?
No, shaving changes neither the thickness nor the colour nor the number of hairs. The blade cuts the hair off at the surface, and the root remains unaffected. The impression arises because the regrowing hair has a blunt cut edge instead of a fine tip: it feels stubbly and looks darker against the skin. With fine vellus hair this is barely noticeable, with dark upper lip hairs it is clearly noticeable.
During a course of laser treatment, shaving is in fact the only permitted method, because the hair must remain in the root. The AlexDUAL UFO targets dark hairs, while the LED system VCL DERMALIGHT is intended for light vellus hair.
Threading, waxing or laser: which is the better long-term solution for facial hair?
In the long term, the laser is the better solution, provided the hairs are dark. Threading and waxing pull the hair out with its root and last 2 to 6 weeks, then everything starts again. On the upper lip this irritates the thin skin anew each time: redness, small pimples, ingrown hairs and, in darker skin types, dark shadows are common consequences. The laser damages the follicle itself, and after a course a marked, long-term hair reduction remains.
Threading retains its place for shaping the eyebrows, because laser treatment is not performed directly at the brow. The AlexDUAL UFO treats dark facial hair on skin types I to VI, the LED system VCL DERMALIGHT light vellus hair.
When is electrolysis on the face a better option than laser or LED?
Electrolysis on the face is the better option when the hair lacks pigment or the laser is not used at the site. This applies to white, grey and red hairs, such as individual light chin hairs after the menopause, and to hairs directly at the eyebrow. It is also worthwhile for the last 10 or 20 remaining hairs after a course of laser treatment. Because each hair is treated individually and often several times, treating an entire upper lip extends over many appointments. With dark skin or a tendency to pigment spots, a small area is tested beforehand.
The sensible order: first reduce dark hairs with the AlexDUAL UFO, treat blonde vellus hair with the VCL DERMALIGHT and leave only the remainder to the needle. SIACSKIN does not offer a device for electrolysis.
Can laser hair removal on the face increase peach fuzz on the cheeks?
Yes, this occurs rarely and is called paradoxical hair growth: fine vellus hair becomes darker and longer at the edge of the lasered area. The cheeks, jawline and neck are mainly affected. It can be prevented by not lasering pure vellus hair in the first place, but only areas with clearly dark, coarser hairs. There, sufficient energy is used rather than too little out of caution. The edges are cleanly delineated and the surrounding area is cooled.
On the AlexDUAL UFO, the SIA AI uses cameras on the handpiece to set skin type, body area and energy automatically. For light, fine vellus hair, the LED system VCL DERMALIGHT is the appropriate device from the outset, not the laser.
Dermaplaning or permanent reduction: which makes more sense for peach fuzz on the face?
That depends on how much the vellus hair bothers you: for a smoother complexion for a special occasion, dermaplaning is sufficient, but only light-based treatment results in fewer hairs in the long term. In dermaplaning, the vellus hair is removed with a fine blade together with dead skin flakes. The skin immediately looks more even, and make-up sits more smoothly. After 3 to 4 weeks the vellus hair is back, unchanged and no coarser. With inflamed acne or very sensitive skin, the blade is not a good idea.
For long-term reduction, the laser is the wrong tool for vellus hair because the pigment is lacking. The VCL DERMALIGHT is designed as an LED system for light, blonde and fine hair; 4 to 8 sessions every 2 to 4 weeks are usual.
Does the dark shadow above the upper lip disappear with laser hair removal?
Only if the shadow is caused by the hairs. Dark hairs show through the skin even when freshly shaved, and stubble makes the upper lip look grey. This shadow disappears along with the hairs. If, on the other hand, it comes from pigment in the skin, for instance from melasma or as a result of years of waxing and plucking, hair removal does not change it. Heat and sun can even intensify such patches. In that case the pigmentation should be investigated first.
The difference can usually be told as follows: if you see dark dots in the pores when the skin is stretched, they are hairs. If the area is evenly brownish, pigment is the cause. The Skin Analyzer Pro assesses pigment with a multispectral camera, and the AlexDUAL UFO treats the hairs.
Can hair between the eyebrows and on the forehead be removed by laser?
Between the eyebrows and at the hairline on the forehead yes, directly at and below the brow no. The area within the bony eye socket is off limits for hair removal because laser light can damage the eye. Above the bridge of the nose a small spot is used, the eyes are closed and protected by light-tight protective goggles. Shaping the brows remains a matter for tweezers or thread. On the forehead the hairline is marked beforehand. Fine vellus hair often grows there, which barely responds to the laser.
For dark hairs between the brows, the AlexDUAL UFO with a spot size from 10 mm is suitable. The LED system VCL DERMALIGHT is intended for light vellus hair on the forehead.
Bleaching facial hair instead of removing it: is that compatible with laser treatment?
Bleaching and laser treatment do not go well together: bleaching cream takes away from the hair precisely the pigment that the laser needs as its target. Anyone planning a course of laser treatment should therefore stop bleaching at least 4 weeks beforehand so that pigmented hair has grown back. As a permanent solution, bleaching has its limits in any case. The hairs remain, shimmer golden in the light and are all the more noticeable on darker skin, and the cream often irritates the upper lip.
If the hairs are naturally dark, the AlexDUAL UFO treats them, on skin types V to VI with the Nd:YAG. Naturally blonde vellus hair is a matter for the LED system VCL DERMALIGHT.
What does a realistic treatment plan for facial hair look like, from the initial course to top-up sessions?
Expect an initial course of usually 6 to 10 sessions at intervals of 4 to 6 weeks, that is, 8 to 12 months, followed by 1 to 2 top-up sessions per year. The face requires more patience than the legs or underarms because the hair cycle is short and hormones repeatedly awaken dormant follicles. After 3 to 4 sessions the hairs are usually already considerably finer and patchy. On the face it is rare to manage entirely without follow-up treatment.
Photographs before the first and after every third session are helpful. The DEWEON 4LD documents treatment areas and shot counts in its client management system. For light vellus hair a different rhythm applies: with the VCL DERMALIGHT, 4 to 8 sessions every 2 to 4 weeks are usual.
What applies to make-up, retinol and sun protection before and after laser treatment on the face?
You come to the appointment without make-up or cream on the area, and afterwards the skin stays free of make-up for 24 hours. You pause retinol, fruit acids and exfoliants for about 5 days before and after, because they make the epidermis thinner and more easily irritated. Self-tanner is off limits for 2 weeks beforehand. Sun protection is most important: sun protection factor 50 every day, even when it is cloudy, because the upper lip is prone to pigment spots after heat and sun. If you are prone to cold sores, say so beforehand.
Immediately after the session, cooling and mild, fragrance-free skincare are sufficient. The AlexDUAL UFO cools the skin during treatment itself via its compressor and quadruple cooling.
What happens during laser hair removal on the face and how long does an appointment take?
An appointment takes 10 to 20 minutes, and the actual laser time for the upper lip and chin is a few minutes. You arrive without make-up, having shaved the day before or that morning. The skin is cleansed, the area is marked out with a white pencil if necessary, and your eyes are protected with light-tight goggles. This is followed by a test pulse and the treatment, pulse by pulse. On the upper lip you push your tongue in front of your teeth, which dampens the stinging. The vermilion of the lips is left out. Afterwards the skin is cooled and sun protection is applied.
The face requires small spots and precisely dosed pulses. The AlexDUAL UFO works with spot sizes from 10 mm and pulses from 0.3 to 100 ms.
