Erk. Facial hair.

[Amethyst24]

This is absolutely a first world problem - I know lots and lots of women have it far worse than I do, but this has really begun to play on my mind in the past months. I'm 41 and have never had the usual chin bristles etc that some find so problematic. My skin is okay, rosacea under control, not aging too badly... but I've noticed the down on my face, especially my jaw, which is really fine and colourless, getting LONGER AND LONGER. I'm worried that especially in bright sunlight, it's very noticeable. But I don't want to fuck up my skin by doing anything drastic.

Has anyone found a way of controlling it? Help!

It's a bit of a bastard, because if you touch it that might make it worse. Mine's blonde & I have locks too. I target the longest ones only. I figure that a lot of women have downy hair, so it's easier to not care about it than to freak out about it.

What do you do with it, Alley? Target how? Am thinking DDT...

I'm 39 and lately I've been suspecting mine looks downier than usual. Either that or the new light in my bathroom has highlighted a few things I didn't know existed. I'm guessing you'll be referred to get threaded

I epilate mine as get rid of coarse dark ones and fair down ones, and rash too. Tried plucking but the fine ones are slippery buggers and hard to grasp

I now have the sides of my mouth threaded not the top lip far too painful! Think it's something that I have noticed since the menopause. Also have eyebrows threaded. Costs £8 for both so not too bad

That's brow and tach!

Thanks all. Those who thread/epilate, does it not irritate your skin?

Get teh odd ingrown hair but only a teeny spot that a scrub soon sorts out

I have v dry and sensitive skin too

My downy hair has gotten worse so I've shaved it.... Apparently (googled it a lot) it doesn't grow bk thick etc

I have a downy blonde tash, so get it threaded and also my eyebrows. I have also just started having a few bits zapped by electrolysis. Not as expensive as I thought. But god it's ouchy!

Do you know if Lumea would work with this type of hair?

Growing excess long fine hair can indicate anaemia or low iron levels - could this be you?

Whatever you do DONT veet it. My chin/upper lip was on fire afterwards and broke out in horrible acne.

Thread/epilate instead

I used a facial epilator on my chin back in May. I got the most horrendous rash you can imagine, pus filled spots everywhere. The spots and scars have only just cleared now after 2 months.

Get an epistick - mine has changed my life! Best 77p I ever spent

I used to know a woman involved in training race horses. She said her downy facial hair had appeared after she'd switched to this work and was sure it was down to spending so much time in the cold with the horses

I have excessive downy facial hair and grew up with horses.
It sits there all long and shiny and catches the light so it's really noticeable.

I shave it off . Apart from one "prickle" which I tweeze.