Embarrassing Peach Fuzz

Skin Care Tip of the Day: Embarrassing Peach Fuzz

Many of you have been asking what you can do about blonde fuzzy hair on your face, so I wanted to share some popular treatments and discuss the risks vs benefits of each treatment.

So what exactly is vellus hair and why do we have it?
Vellus hair is short, fine hair that develops on most of a person's body from his/her childhood. It is most noticeable on women and children, because they do not have terminal hair (dark thick hair ) to cover the vellus hair. Vellus in Latin means "fleece" or "wool". The reason we have vellus hair is pretty simple. Vellus hair provides both thermal insulation and cooling for the body. This insulation regulates body temperature.

Now that you know a little bit about vellus hair, you are probably wondering what you can do to remove it from your face. Here are some of the most popular options available to treat the appearance of vellus hair.

1. Dermaplaning by a licensed aesthetician. Dermaplaning involves the removal of the top layer of the epidermis and vellus hair with a surgical blade. It does not hurt and it is a great form of exfoliation. The only risks involved are the chance of nicks and skin sensitivity. The hair grows back in 3-4 weeks and the price varies from $60-$120 depending on the area. We offer dermaplaning for $75.

2. Depilatory Creams can be used to remove vellus hair by dissolving keratin (the hard protein) in the hair, making it easy to wipe off with a wash cloth. Depilatory creams are an inexpensive way to remove vellus hair, but they should be used with caution. Due to the harsh chemicals contained in the hair removal creams, there is a significant risk of skin sensitivity, redness, and chemical burns. You should not use depilatories if you are going to be exposed to the sun for any length of time. Sun protection must be worn, and failure to due so could result in permanent scarring and hyperpigmentation (brown spots).

3. Waxing is another way to remove vellus hair and the results will last much longer because you are removing the hair from the root. If you have oily or acneic skin, you should avoid waxing your face because the trauma to the sebaceous glands will result in breakouts. Facial waxing ranges in price from $30-$80.

4. Threading is similar to waxing in that it removes hair from the root, and if you have acne it can cause breakouts when preformed over the entire face. Threading is a process in which a thread is used to remove hair by wrapping around a few small strands of hair and pulling the hair from the root. Facial threading can be quite uncomfortable depending on your pain tolerance, but is relatively inexpensive and is usually around $30-$50.

Before you have any vellus hair removal, it is recommended that you patch test any hair removal creams before using them, and that you speak with a licensed aesthetician about the best hair removal treatment for your skin type. Call 951-672-4200 to speak with our aesthetican for more information.