Face hair. In tears and pic included

[FuckSakeFuckOffFelicia]

I'm sick of shaving

I'm sick of being 28 years old and having to shave twice a day

I'm aching. I have to wear inches of makeup to cover my stubble

I'm all bumpy and rashy, and disgusting

Can someone please just recommend the best Philips Lumea? Will it work? I'm confused at the entire range and my head is sore from trying to work out which will be the strongest for my mess of a face, neck, chin and sideburns

Thank you

What @SherlockSays.

I'm mindful of not assuming people have ££ to throw at this but I would go for 6 sessions of laser removal and if it needs a little top ups I'd get a lumea machine after that.

I was so sceptical this time round after rubbish IPL results. But after two treatments the last being 3 weeks ago, I've had to shave my armpits once. And I would have to shave every day in summer if I didn't want stubble.

Soprano ice machine. Try it.

100 day guarantee

Just checked, the 100 day guarantee is from Philips.

I don't know which Lumea I have - it cost just under £300 IIRC. It works for me.

I feel for you. Don't be in tears over something that's really fixable.

I only have to use my Lumea about once a month these days, and almost no plucking in between. It's a MIRACLE.

There is very little difference between the different Lumea models. They all use the same technology, they just have different attachments and the more expensive ones have a higher number of bulb flashes (although all of them should last for several years).

Op I had laser, it didn't work for me but a Phillips lumea did.

Mine was far, far worse than yours. I had a noticeable beard. And members of the public would take great joy in pointing it out. I was sceptical that the lumea would work but it was life changing.

It's disgusting that there isn't more NHS support for this. There is plenty of help for people who suffer alopecia. And quite rightly so. But why isn't there any for women with full beards who are too scared to leave the house ?? Commercial lasers rarely work for long, there really should be more support. Its an awful thing to live with.

The one mentioned above is cheaper here
www.shop4body.com/philips-lumea-ipl-bri950.html

Vaniqa doesn't work always.

If you manage to get a referral to a specialist then you need to see a gynaecological endocrinologist, not a bog standard gynaecologist. I’m afraid I don’t know of any in NI but if by some miracle they can refer you to London I can offer recommendations - happy for you to PM me if you want x

In the meantime, you really need to get some tendskin, it’s a liquid that you can use to calm the skin down, and it’s amazing.
It’s not cheap, but you can get a recipe for making it yourself using surgical spirit, witch hazel, ground up aspirin, and glycerin. It sounds harsh but it is amazing on shaving rash.

Fazackerley - my understanding is that it encourages blood flow to the affected area which stimulates hormonal hair growth. It also doesn't kill the hair follicle, it leaves them dormant so the hair can return, especially if you have hormonal changes later on. A colleague experienced this after having children, and ended up paying for laser treatment again.

I can't say from experience however as I wasn't a good candidate for laser hair removal. I have found electrolysis works though, so that's what I'd recommend from my own experience.

I suppose the main thing is that there are solutions that work, even if they're not the same for all of us. Fingers crossed the Lumea works for OP, and I'm glad you've had success with it too!

homemade tendskin

Definitely get a lumea.
And go back to the dr-a different dr if possible and demand to be taken seriously. This is obviously having an awful effect on you and there are things they can prescribe that will help.

Thank you everyone 😭 I am so touched by your kindness and gentle approach to something that I am mortified about

I wish you were all my friends in real life

Life would be lovelier

Sorry its not very clear, but this is my chin. It was as hairy as yours. The brown marks are freckles!

I have had this all my life. I used to spend abput an hour every morning using tweezers.

I discovered the Tweezerman smooth finish facial hair remover. It is a spring that pulls out many hairs at once by the roots. It has changed my life, as you can use it on very short hairs. I use it every morning.

Could you try this while waiting to buy a Lumea?

Mine was the same as yours OP. It started when I was about 13 and I had a male pattern hairline on my face - cheeks, moustache and neck. I was in tears on my wedding day having to shave like a man. In my 30s I had laser treatment ( it had only just really started to be a thing back then ) which changed my life. I was hair free till I was in my early 50s when it started to reappear but nowhere like it was to start with. I had a course of laser at a Sk:n clinic and again I’m free to have my hair short and behind my ears without feeling so self conscious and having to pluck and shave every day. I have fair skin and dark hair so it was sooo noticeable. I noticed on my medical notes it says I have hydrotrichosis. No one every mentioned this to me! I have thick hair on my thighs (esp down the back of them). I used to have some hairs on my hands, breasts and in between my breasts but this went for some reason. My legs are like gorillas still though.

I had to go without holidays for a few years to pay for laser but it was so worth it. Sk:n have regular 40% off offers though and I never paid the full price for any of the courses of sessions I had.

I agree that electrolysis isn’t going to be too helpful. I tried it but I think it would have been a life’s job with the amount of hair I was dealing with. I hope you realise from this thread you aren’t alone and there are others who know the distress this causes. It’s crap there isn’t much help around.

Not read all the thread!
But my face was very similar- it not worse! I had stubble like that hours after shaving! I’d have a shadow by lunchtime.
Lumea has changed my life!
Nobody believes it was ever that bad!

The most help I had (as my NHS area thinks it's tough shit, you're too old at 26 to get something like that treated, so I'm 20 years on and with something approaching a goatee) was from somebody who had transitioned, who gave the advice for concealing the shadow when I couldn't face growing it out for waxing or threading.

Shave using an oil, rather than a foam or gel. One of the type that turn into a milky substance on contact with water, preferably. Only do it once a day and put next to zero pressure on the razor.
Panstick (so an oil based foundation) over a thin layer of red lipstick like blusher to counteract the blueness of the hairs. Powder with translucent powder and smile - most people won't notice and the few that do won't say anything anyhow.

Threading salons are full of people who need this amount of hair removal - it's very common for Indian and BAME women to have a lot of dark facial hair. And the salon staff are always very nice (unlike the ones I've experienced in Western salons, who can be a bit hit and miss about knowing how to deal with it or be tactful in the process).

FWIW, I work with teenagers. Of all the things they could bellow at me when pissed off, not one has ever mentioned it - partly because teenagers aren't as bad as they're made out to be and partly because of our demographic carrying a considerable number in the groups most likely to have noticeable facial hair.

I have gone to the Skin clinic for my face. Brilliant results. I had bikini line done there years ago and it's still naked! The lumea didn't work for me. Creams are a waste of money. I'd highly recommend trying the Skin clinic. They often have sales too, and should do you a test patch and consultation before starting a treatment. I've had this all my life and it gets you down, doesn't it? (Understatement.) go to the clinic and see what they think. Do it, then you know you're taking it in hand. Waves to all the other hairy women on here! Solidarity fist bump!

cleanhouse I agree re Sk:n. I was very impressed. Very professional, friendly polite staff , on time and regular substantial discounts. I got hardly any redness after each treatment even though I have very sensitive skin. I’d definitely recommend them too. It did take me a long time to clear my face but I think I’m a particularly stubborn case as it was the same when I had it done in my 30s. Mine must be hormonal as it started at 13 and then resurfaced when I was in the peri menopause in my late 40s.

Side of my face now. It used to have a proper beardline plus neck and tache. Was permanently bumpy and sore from daily plucking and shaving too.

I have PCOS and have had facial hair for years. I was prescribed vanquis when it first came out and to be honest I didn't notice much improvement apart from my skin becoming really spotty.
Plucking caused my skin to be sore when the hairs were regrowing so I finally went to a salon and paid for some laser treatment which cleared a lot of it so much so I was able to put my hair up for the first time.
Roll on 8 years or so and now peri-menopausal and the hair is restarting to show so I've bought a lumea to keep on top it it. It really helps, I still quick shave every few days but it's manageable.
It's horrible and I really can empathise with you all

I have had this problem over 30 years. At the start I used the hair removing creams but became allergic to them. I then just shaved. In 2004 I went to see a dermatologist privately who then recommended a private cosmetic clinic in Bangor NI OP Bloomfield I think it was called. They did run a battery of tests but nothing specific was found. I did decide to go for the laser at £90 a treatment but it was every 8/9 weeks so worked out at £45 per month and was actually carried out by a nurse. Each week they ramped up the amount of laser strength. It did work for a while but I think I stopped the treatment too soon. I had tried electrolysis before this but it didn't really work. Now I am older the hairs are much lighter and I just let them grow and then get waxing. I used to do home waxing but now get it done in a salon especially before the likes of holidays etc. I do think waxing weakens the hair and discourages growth to be honest. I still shave sometimes but love that totally hairless smooth feel after waxing. If they produce a machine that would work on light coloured hairs I would definitely buy it.

OP I saw you were in NI.
Could you come to Dublin?
The Derma Clinic in Monkstown is run by a nurse, Patricia Molloy. If you are down this way, she'd be very helpful and would give great advice.