Facial Hair

[Pia Bianca]

Perhaps somebody here knows a solution to my dilemma. As the headline suggests, my facial hair is a problem. As I'm from Germany, I'll have to live as women for some months prior to be eligible for permanent hair removal or prescription of hormones.

While there might be ways to convince therapists that it's needed to get some hair removal very early, it might be unsuccessful. Still I can go to a doctor all by myself and pay for it... but I don't know if I'll be able to afford.

That said, what do you recommend for facial hair removal in my case?
1) I'm blone with some red touch in it.
2) After a full wet shave, a beard shadow reappears after about 6 hours.
3) Even with moisturizing cream, my skin doesn't allow daily wet shaving.

You might guess the main problem already: If I go 24/7, I will have a beard shadow at the afternoon while still working. And the next day the beard shadow is easily spottable.

So what to do?
Is there any way to conceal the beard shadow?
Is there a moisturizer which is more efficient?
Do I need to change my shaving equipment?

[Lara the Lover and the Fighter]

Ive got the same problem except my beard is jet black in contrast to my light skin.  It SUCKS!  So far it seems that Laser or Electro is the only option to really do away with the beard shadow and razor bumps that we all hate. 

Hopefully someone else has better input that this, for both of us!

[stavraki]

Perhaps somebody here knows a solution to my dilemma. As the headline suggests, my facial hair is a problem. As I'm from Germany, I'll have to live as women for some months prior to be eligible for permanent hair removal or prescription of hormones.

While there might be ways to convince therapists that it's needed to get some hair removal very early, it might be unsuccessful. Still I can go to a doctor all by myself and pay for it... but I don't know if I'll be able to afford.

That said, what do you recommend for facial hair removal in my case?
1) I'm blone with some red touch in it.
2) After a full wet shave, a beard shadow reappears after about 6 hours.
3) Even with moisturizing cream, my skin doesn't allow daily wet shaving.

You might guess the main problem already: If I go 24/7, I will have a beard shadow at the afternoon while still working. And the next day the beard shadow is easily spottable.

So what to do?
Is there any way to conceal the beard shadow?
Is there a moisturizer which is more efficient?
Do I need to change my shaving equipment?

Coming from Greek stock, a lot of women had some facial hair.  I loved how the women owned that and no-one cared.  As a Greek male, I have a *major* battle with hair.  My legs have like three hairs coming out of each follicle ha ha ha - when I get the full-body wax thing - MAN IT HURTS - I used laser hair removal for the backside - and HOORAY a hairless backside.  At least my back is hair free.

For the face and your position, (too blond to laser right?)....um what happens if you like *dye* the beard with a good dark colour and one that gets into the roots/follicles and then go get zapped by a laser therapist?  (I'm sure laser therapists could advise you about this--the issue with blond hair and laser is that the hair doesn't capture the heat of the laser because white hairs reflect the light, but dying the hair should have the same effect - and frazzle fry those follicles on the face...).

Or *gulp* facial hair waxing by a really good beauty salon person?

[Lara the Lover and the Fighter]

facial waxing sounds terrifying!! 

[stavraki]

facial waxing sounds terrifying!!

I totally hear u.  there are heaps of nerves in the face too--but I wonder if there's like a nerve numbing agent or a cream or something that dulls the pain (the actual waxing would be able to be done safely)...

[Pia Bianca]

For the face and your position, (too blond to laser right?)....um what happens if you like *dye* the beard with a good dark colour and one that gets into the roots/follicles and then go get zapped by a laser therapist?  (I'm sure laser therapists could advise you about this--the issue with blond hair and laser is that the hair doesn't capture the heat of the laser because white hairs reflect the light, but dying the hair should have the same effect - and frazzle fry those follicles on the face...).

Yeah, you got it. My hair is very blonde although it keeps going darker with every year. But I wouldn't want to ask a laser therapist about the whole thing, because in Germany those aren't doctors and most of the time they just want the dollars. So they tell everybody that they will succeed and it would be all right; many get a sunburn or worse.

So which doctor should I ask? A dermatologist? Is there a test to see, if my hair would be prone to laser treatment?

Or *gulp* facial hair waxing by a really good beauty salon person?

Since I'm very algesic, I won't do anything like that. Even thinking of the pain involved scares me stiff.

[Joanna Dark]

Pluck it. It works. But it is painful.

[stavraki]

So which doctor should I ask? A dermatologist? Is there a test to see, if my hair would be prone to laser treatment?

this one should be a no-brainer to research online, I reckon (I'll just hava quick look after this post to see what is unearthed).

And I'd say to seek a hair specialist, actually, or someone formerly trained in laser-therapy procedures who is, perhaps, part of an allied-health professional system.

I just had another idea.  I wonder if there are 'keratin drugs' that stain the hair follicles, specifically, (without changing ur whole skin).  I know you can take supplements for suntan.  I'm pretty sure hair-follicle staining should be a science.

there are a lot of blond people who need laser, after all, and some bright spark money schemer somewhere will have already done this....

[Pia Bianca]

Pluck it. It works. But it is painful.

Which brings me back to myself being very algesic.

But in the end... if it's the only way I'll have to try.

[stavraki]

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/549168

the above is good science on the topic.  There's a debate about whether or not the follicle stem cells are destroyed when hair with a lot of melanin in the shafts is irradiated with laser.  And it looks like staining the follicle does not destroy the follicle stem cells.  However, the authors of the above article warn that the science has made the assumption that it is the stem cells that laser targets, suggesting that light therapies may subtly alter the stem cells and not destroy them.  authors could demonstrate that dying follicles caused hair loss after laser.  But the question was regrowth and whether or not that occurs.

I haven't looked hard enough to see if there is a longitudinal study, that did hair counts (not stem cell follicle counts) at 6 weeks post laser.

If I had spare cash, and time, and were I wanting the blond off my face, I've read enough to give this a try.  I would dye my hair with a deep, blue-black colour, and zap my face.  You know, you should be able to find a laser therapist who will do 'just one one inch patch as a test run please') for free.  After all.  If this works, there's a whole truck load of new business for them.

feel like negotiating with them to do a trial?

[Oriah]

Try using a paste of turmeric, salt, and honey.....if you massage it into where the hair is growing and leave it in 30 minutes or so before washing it out, it will make hair grow more slowly and less thick.   Eventually the hair will stop growing after a few months of daily use.  The curcumin in the turmeric gets into the follicle and interferes with protein synthesis, thus acting as a hair growth inhibitor.  Try googling turmeric hair removal for more info.

[Pia Bianca]

Try using a paste of turmeric, salt, and honey.....if you massage it into where the hair is growing and leave it in 30 minutes or so before washing it out, it will make hair grow more slowly and less thick.   Eventually the hair will stop growing after a few months of daily use.  The curcumin in the turmeric gets into the follicle and interferes with protein synthesis, thus acting as a hair growth inhibitor.  Try googling turmeric hair removal for more info.

I don't know where you got this knowledge from... but if that works, it'll be a life saver for me. Did you try it yourself? It sounds reversible, so I'll have to stick to the process even after my hair is gone...?

[Oriah]

I don't know where you got this knowledge from... but if that works, it'll be a life saver for me. Did you try it yourself? It sounds reversible, so I'll have to stick to the process even after my hair is gone...?

I use it and am seeing good results.  It's an old trick from ancient India.  After enough time, it should have a permanent, nonreversable effect.  The follicle just sort of gives up and dies.

It works quicker/better if you pluck or eppilate or wax.....but it isn't necessary.  The paste should be applied after whatever hair removal means you use, so if you shave, apply it after shaving, not before

[Lara the Lover and the Fighter]

Im gonna give this a go!

[missy1992]

Coming from Greek stock, a lot of women had some facial hair.

Ti kanis Stavraki?! 

OP, you should get on the facial removal ASAP. It will really do wonders for your presentation.

[Joanna Dark]

I said it before and I'll say it again: I think the quickest way to do it (short of laser) is plucking. Use ice to numb the area and then grit yo teeth. You don't have to pluck all of it you just have to thin it out. It does wonders.

I use it and am seeing good results.  It's an old trick from ancient India.  After enough time, it should have a permanent, nonreversable effect.  The follicle just sort of gives up and dies.

It works quicker/better if you pluck or eppilate or wax.....but it isn't necessary.  The paste should be applied after whatever hair removal means you use, so if you shave, apply it after shaving, not before

This might work if you are young but I can't imagine it working on a 30 year old like me. My hair is thick. I don't even have much and can't grow a beard but it seems like it would get really expensive really fast at which point I would just do laser. I mean if you spend $100-$200 on tumeric as you will need so much of it, when do you just do laser instead/. It sounds interesting but what about my skin? I don't want to stain it and look like I am jaundiced.

[Oriah]

This might work if you are young but I can't imagine it working on a 30 year old like me. My hair is thick. I don't even have much and can't grow a beard but it seems like it would get really expensive really fast at which point I would just do laser. I mean if you spend $100-$200 on tumeric as you will need so much of it, when do you just do laser instead/. It sounds interesting but what about my skin? I don't want to stain it and look like I am jaundiced.

you may be surprised.  This method comes from ancient india.....and have you ever seen the facial hair on a hirsute indian woman?  It's pretty darn thick.

I've been doing this over a month and haven't even used $2 worth of turmeric....and I've taken to using lotion instead of honey as the paste base.  It's pretty cheap.....if I had a more money I'd think about laser....but it's out of the question.

as for the jaundiced look....it'll stain a little if you only use soap and water, but a milk or yogurt scrub takes it right out...or a gentle swipe with a cotton ball wetted with hydrogen peroxide or diluted rubbing alcohol.

Laser would be quicker and probably better and more convenient, but ifor one transitioning balanced on a dime (like me), it works in a pinch

[Joanna Dark]

you may be surprised.  This method comes from ancient india.....and have you ever seen the facial hair on a hirsute indian woman?  It's pretty darn thick.

I've been doing this over a month and haven't even used $2 worth of turmeric....and I've taken to using lotion instead of honey as the paste base.  It's pretty cheap.....if I had a more money I'd think about laser....but it's out of the question.

as for the jaundiced look....it'll stain a little if you only use soap and water, but a milk or yogurt scrub takes it right out...or a gentle swipe with a cotton ball wetted with hydrogen peroxide or diluted rubbing alcohol.

Laser would be quicker and probably better and more convenient, but ifor one transitioning balanced on a dime (like me), it works in a pinch

I am in the same position as you that is why I pluck. It hurts. But I read your post on the other thread about using blush to take away the bluish tint of beard shadow which sound like a great trick. I should be getting laser soon however. thanks god as I don't present female most times because of beard shadow though I doubt people can see. But it bothers me terribly.

[Oriah]

I am in the same position as you that is why I pluck. It hurts. But I read your post on the other thread about using blush to take away the bluish tint of beard shadow which sound like a great trick. I should be getting laser soon however. thanks god as I don't present female most times because of beard shadow though I doubt people can see. But it bothers me terribly.

I hope all goes well with your laser!

I know what you mean about beard shadow....I present female about 95% of the time, but I'm always freaking out.....everybody tells me I look fine and my makeup is pristine, but I almost always seem to see phantom beard regardless.....I suppose we're our own worst critics.

[oneprettywoman]

Pluck it. It works. But it is painful.

i  have  removed   three fourth  of  my  beard  by plucking,  using   diamond  tip  tweezers.
It  only hurts  a  little,  do it fast.

Remove them  in  a  random pattern,  and let  the  skin  heal   between   twee-zing.