Facial hair removal

Me Clinic offers facial hair removal treatments at our Malvern East clinic. This page explains what is available, which treatment suits which kind of hair, and what to expect.

Facial hair is normal and varies enormously between individuals. Whether to treat it is a personal decision - with one exception noted below, where a change in facial hair growth is worth having assessed medically rather than simply treated.

The two approaches

Laser hair reduction

Light at a wavelength absorbed by melanin heats the hair and damages the follicle, reducing future growth. This is the option that produces a lasting reduction, and it is covered in detail on our laser hair removal page.

The critical limitation: it relies on pigment in the hair. Dark, coarse hair responds; grey, white, red and very fine blonde hair generally do not respond at all, because there is nothing for the laser to target. No device or number of sessions changes that.

Epidermal levelling

A manual exfoliation treatment that removes fine vellus hair - the soft downy hair on the face - along with the outermost layer of dead skin cells. It works regardless of hair colour, because it is mechanical rather than light-based. The effect is temporary: hair grows back at its original texture and thickness within weeks. See epidermal levelling.

Choosing between them

	Laser hair reduction	Epidermal levelling
Works on	Dark, pigmented hair	Any colour, including fine light hair
Hair type	Coarse terminal hair	Fine vellus hair
Duration	Lasting reduction with maintenance	Temporary - weeks
Also treats	Hair only	Skin texture and dullness
Sessions	A course spaced weeks apart	Repeated as desired

Areas commonly treated

Upper lip, chin and jawline, cheeks and sideburn area, between the brows, forehead hairline, and the neck. Beard-line shaping is also commonly requested.

Areas below the neck are covered under body hair removal.

Assessment before treatment

Facial skin is more visible and more reactive than skin elsewhere, which raises the stakes on getting the settings right. Assessment covers:

• Skin type, usually classified on the Fitzpatrick scale, which determines the device and settings used and whether treatment is appropriate.
• Hair colour and thickness, which determines whether laser can work at all.
• Medications - a number increase photosensitivity, including some antibiotics and retinoids, and make light-based treatment unsafe until stopped or an interval has passed.
• Recent sun exposure, tanning or fake tan, all of which increase the risk of burns and pigment change and generally mean deferring treatment.
• Cold sores - treating around the mouth can reactivate the virus in people who carry it.
• Moles and lesions in the treatment area, which should be assessed before any laser treatment rather than treated over.

A patch test is standard before a first full treatment.

When increased facial hair is worth investigating

A marked or relatively sudden increase in coarse facial hair, particularly in a female pattern change, can be a sign of an underlying hormonal condition such as polycystic ovary syndrome, or less commonly other endocrine causes. Where that is the picture, medical assessment is worth doing - treating the hair alone does not address the cause, and hair regrows while the driver persists.

Before and after treatment

For laser treatment: avoid sun exposure, solariums and fake tan before and after; shave rather than wax, pluck, thread or use depilatory creams in the weeks beforehand, since those remove the target the laser needs; avoid hot showers, saunas and strenuous exercise briefly afterwards; and use daily sun protection on treated skin.

Redness and small raised bumps around the follicles immediately after laser treatment are expected and usually settle within hours to a day or two. Treated hairs are shed over the following one to three weeks - this can look like regrowth and is not.

Risks

All treatments carry risks. For laser hair reduction on the face these include:

• Redness, swelling and discomfort
• Blistering and burns
• Changes in skin pigmentation - darkening or lightening, temporary or persistent
• Scarring
• Crusting or scabbing
• Folliculitis - inflammation or infection of treated follicles
• Reactivation of cold sores when treating near the mouth
• Paradoxical hypertrichosis - an increase rather than decrease in hair growth in or near the treated area. Uncommon, but it is reported more often on the face and neck than elsewhere
• Eye injury without proper protective eyewear - particularly relevant when treating close to the eyes
• Little or no response, especially with light-coloured or fine hair

Risk of burns and pigment change is higher in darker and recently tanned skin.

For epidermal levelling: redness, irritation, dryness, breakouts, nicks or abrasions, infection, pigment change, and worsening of active acne or inflamed skin.

Please read our information on the risks and complications of cosmetic surgery before proceeding.

Costs and booking

Cost depends on the treatment, the area and the number of sessions. As at September 2024 and including GST, a skin assessment with a nurse or aesthetician is $50 and is redeemable on products or services; a consultation with a Cosmetic Doctor is $150.

Me Clinic is at 4 Burke Road, Malvern East VIC 3145, five minutes' walk from Caulfield station. Clinic hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9am to 5pm, Tuesday and Thursday 9am to 7pm, and Saturday 9am to 2pm. Phone 1300 852 050.

Related pages

See epidermal levelling, laser hair removal, body hair removal, skin treatments, or all face procedures.

Individual results may vary. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.