How to Remove Facial Hair | Options That Actually Work

Whether it’s unwanted hair on your upper lip, sidebrows, or cheeks, the right removal method depends on how long you want results to last and how much time you’re willing to spend. Below are the real options, with what they actually do to your skin and how long the results hold.

Shaving and Dermaplaning

Shaving cuts hair at the skin surface, so regrowth is quick — typically within one to three days. Dermaplaning uses a sterile scalpel to do the same thing while also exfoliating dead skin cells. To shave correctly: cleanse your face, apply shaving cream or soap and water, hold the skin taut, and shave in the direction of hair growth. Rinse the blade between strokes, then wash with cool water and pat dry. Shaving against the grain increases irritation and cuts. Side effects include minor cuts, chemical dermatitis, and pseudofolliculitis barbae (razor bumps).

Waxing, Tweezing, and Threading

These methods pull hair from the root, so results last longer — usually two to six weeks. Tweezing works best for small areas like stray brow hairs: soften skin with a warm washcloth, isolate the hair, hold skin taut, and pluck one hair at a time in the direction of growth. For waxing, hair needs to be about a quarter-inch long for the wax to grip. Clean and dry the skin, apply wax (hot or cold — soft wax uses strips, hard wax is pulled off directly), then press a strip and pull quickly opposite hair growth. Common mistakes include waxing over skin recently treated with retinoids, which increases injury risk — avoid retinoids for two to five days before facial waxing. Pain, folliculitis, irritation, and postinflammatory hyperpigmentation are possible side effects with all root-removal methods.

Depilatory Creams and Epilators

Depilatory creams chemically dissolve hair on the skin surface. Always patch test first on a small area. Apply cream, wait about five to ten minutes (time varies by product), wipe off with a damp cloth, then rinse and pat dry. Chemical dermatitis and allergic reactions are the main risks. Epilators use rotating tweezers to grab and pull multiple hairs at once from the root. Exfoliate first, hold the device at a right angle, and move it slowly over the area. It can be uncomfortable the first few times.

Laser Hair Removal vs. Electrolysis

Laser hair removal targets hair follicles with light, typically requiring six to eight sessions at $75 to $250 each. Side effects include edema, erythema, pain, and temporary pigment changes. It’s classified as long-term reduction, not guaranteed permanent removal. Electrolysis uses electric current to destroy each follicle individually and is the only method the FDA recognizes as permanent. Costs run about $18 to $25 per 15-minute session. Side effects include edema, erythema, pain, scarring, and pigment changes. Both methods require multiple sessions. For a side-by-side comparison of home devices and professional tools, check out our tested guide to the best face hair remover options for at-home use.