Menopause doesn’t have a fun reputation but it actually represents an equilibrium. Your hormones finally settle down after a lifetime of fluctuations, including the sometimes chaotic perimenopause period. This makes it a fantastic time to start laser hair removal, especially if you’re dealing with unwanted menopausal hair growth.
Because of the drops in estrogen and progesterone, many women experience facial hair growth due to menopause. This usually affects the chin, jawline, and upper lip.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you should know about getting rid of menopausal facial hair with laser hair removal, and how to ensure a successful and comfortable treatment experience.
Understanding Hormonal Hair Changes During Menopause
Most women going through menopause have to deal with more unwanted facial hair, but the need for body hair removal becomes lower.
The hormonal changes associated with menopause start a few years before, during perimenopause, when your body’s levels of estrogen and progesterone hormones begin to drop. Most women go through this shift at some pointbetween the ages of 45 and 56.
During perimenopause, women experience irregular or less frequent menstruation, hot flashes, and night sweats. Menopause is diagnosed once a woman has not had her period for 12 consecutive months, and it’s usually also marked by the end of these symptoms.
Women often begin to experience other physical changes at this time, includinghair loss on the head and increased facial hair growth. Medical professionals associate these changes with the dropping levels of estrogen and progesterone, and the repercussions of that decline on other hormones.
Does Menopause Cause Facial Hair?
In across-sectional studyof post-menopausal women, 39% reported that they experienced noticeable facial hair gain. Most of the participants noticed chin hair growth after menopause, and many also experienced an increase in upper lip hair growth.
The androgendihydrotestosterone (DHT)is the hormone responsible. It stimulates hair loss on the head while increasing hair thickness on the face – especially the chin, jawline, and upper lip.
Normally, the hormone progesterone helps suppress the conversion of testosterone into DHT. In menopause, its depletion is the probable culprit for unwanted hair.
At the same time, menopause often comes with a welcome reduction in body hair. The drop in estrogen is believed to lead to a shorter active hair growth phase, so many women find that their body hair becomes naturally sparse as they age.
Does Laser Hair Removal Work on Post-Menopausal Facial Hair?
If your post-menopausal facial hair growth is dark and coarse, thenyes, laser hair removal can help get rid of it!
Make sure to start yourfacial laser hair removaltreatments early.Once your hair turns white or gray, it will no longer respond to laser hair removal.
Laser hair removal works by inhibiting the hair follicle’s ability to create new hair. The powerful light gets absorbed by the dark root of the hair, where it converts into heat that damages the follicles. However, the laser only works onhairs in the anagen phase, which is the phase of active growth.
One challenge for those going through menopause is that the lower hormone levels can result in fewer hairs in the anagen phases. Exactly how this ties into facial hair growth is not known, but you may need more treatment sessions to account for a slower growth cycle. Even so, a series of laser hair removal treatments can still save you decades of effort! We always recommend starting with 6 sessions, and then re-evaluating.
Benefits of Laser Hair Removal for Menopausal Women
You deserve to feel confident and in control of your body at all times, including once you reach menopause! If unwanted facial hair is stopping you from owning your power, laser hair removal can help you reclaim it.
- Laser hair removal offers targeted hair reduction from the root, without damaging surrounding skin.It’s a non-invasive and gentle treatment with minimal side effects.
- By inhibiting hair follicle activity, itdelivers long-lasting results. With regular treatments, you won’t have to worry about shaving, waxing, or tweezing ever again.
- Because of its lasting effects,laser hair removal can save you thousands of dollarsand hours of effort compared to other hair removal methods, especially waxing.
- The treatment iscarried out by trained and certified providerswho have the skills to ensure your safety, especially if youbook at SEV.
Side Effects and Safety Considerations for Maturing Skin
Laser hair removal is one of the safest hair removal options for postmenopausal women. Its common side effects include mild redness and swelling, which fade within a few days of treatment if not sooner. The laser’s lasting results mean that you don’t have to deal with its side effects too often.
Menopause and Skin Sensitivity
Your skin might be more sensitive once you’re in menopause. With age, your body’s self-regeneration mechanisms slow down, andreduced estrogen levelscause the skin to become thinner and more delicate.
If you’re 65 or older, medical professionals note asignificant increase in skin fragilitywhich can make you more prone to bruising.
Both waxing and shaving can be highly irritating – much more so than laser hair removal. They can lead to immediate and more prolonged skin irritation, including razor burn and ingrown hairs. Because waxing involves pulling on the skin, it can lead to bruising in those with thinner skin.This is why laser is the ideal treatment choice even as your skin becomes more delicate.
Managing Your Comfort During Treatment
Women in perimenopause or menopause must visit an experienced and trained provider.Laser hair removal for maturing or senior skinmay need to be carried out with a gentler treatment setting. It’s also very important that your provider chooses the rightlaser for your skin tone. A trained provider will be able to conduct spot tests and communicate with each patient to ensure they have a comfortable treatment that is safe for their skin.
Dealing With Hot Flashes During Laser Hair Removal
If you’re still experiencing hot flashes, look for a med spa that uses laser technologies with cooling mechanisms or features. This will help significantly reduce discomfort from the treatment. You can also bring a hand-held fan or ice pack to keep yourself cool during treatment. Lastly, don’t feel shy, and let your provider know if you need to take breaks during the appointment.
Get Rid of Menopausal Hair With Confidence
Life keeps going after menopause. As many women will tell you, it can even get better.
Women’s bodies can go through many hormonal changes throughout their lives, from the big shifts of puberty, pregnancy, and childbirth to the monthly impact of the menstrual cycle. These changes are exciting, but they can also feel destabilizing.
By the time you reach menopause, your arsenal is full of life experiences and you’re no longer hampered by hormonal fluctuations. That said, you may not appreciate the potential increase in facial hair that can come with menopause.
If you’d like to stop facial hair after menopause, laser hair removal presents an amazing solution. It works on all skin types and delivers long-term results. Make sure to start the treatments early, since laser will no longer be effective once your hair turns white or gray.
Make sure to choose a provider who can tailor your treatment to your individual needs. At SEV, our certified nurses and laser technicians have the experience needed to create a comfortable treatment experience while ensuring the best possible results. We use the Candela GentleMax Pro and Cynosure Elite iQ, the industry’s most advanced laser machines with dual wavelengths. This allows us to pick the best laser for each client based on their skin tone.
Start your laser treatments to reduce that unwanted menopausal facial hair and enjoy the next few decades with flawlessly smooth skin!
References
- Peacock K, Carlson K, Ketvertis KM. Menopause. [Updated 2023 Dec 21]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507826/
- Kamp E, Ashraf M, Musbahi E, DeGiovanni C. Menopause, skin and common dermatoses. Part 1: hair disorders. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2022 Dec;47(12):2110-2116. doi: 10.1111/ced.15327. Epub 2022 Oct 28. PMID: 35796569; PMCID: PMC10092469.
- Ali I, Wojnarowska F. Physiological changes in scalp, facial and body hair after the menopause: a cross-sectional population-based study of subjective changes. Br J Dermatol. 2011 Mar;164(3):508-13. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2010.10156.x. Epub 2011 Feb 3. PMID: 21128905.
- 1. Caring for your skin in Menopause. American Academy of Dermatology. Accessed October 31, 2024. https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/anti-aging/skin-care-during-menopause.
- Dyer JM, Miller RA. Chronic Skin Fragility of Aging: Current Concepts in the Pathogenesis, Recognition, and Management of Dermatoporosis. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2018 Jan;11(1):13-18. Epub 2018 Jan 1. PMID: 29410724; PMCID: PMC5788262.
