Excessive Body and Facial Hair in Women

There are several types of treatment for hirsute individuals:

- Waxes are available at drugstores and cosmetic counters. They work by pulling hair out when the wax is removed. You can also choose to have the waxing done by a salon or beauty shop. The amount of pain varies. Some people worry that this increases hair growth in the area, but this is not so.

- A variety of creams known as depilatories have a lesser effect.

- Electrolysis, a process in which electric current is applied to individual hair follicles, can be very effective; however, it tends to be expensive and may be painful.

- Laser hair removal is gaining popularity, but it is not for everyone. Your hair must be darker than the surrounding skin. Very dark skinned people and tanned patients with light hair are usually not good candidates for laser hair removal. It also is quite expensive, but often a bit less than electrolysis.