We all have an achilles heel when it comes to our image and certainly mine is facial hair.

I have a particular fear of fuzz appearing on my chin or that there will be daddy longlegs-like hair waving madly off my eyebrow for weeks unnoticed. Or course, it’s only when you are stuck in that traffic jam, looking in your car vanity mirror, that you notice it!

Female facial hair problems can be due to many factors. Some are just hereditary, some pregnancy related, or some because of a condition like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or the menopause. Sadly, according to a survey of 1,000 women, carried out for Channel 4’s Embarrassing Bodies, 30% of women with unwanted facial hair suffer clinical depression, a quarter believe facial hair has held them back from promotion, and more than 40% say it has affected their ability to form relationships.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. So, for this month’s column, I wanted to tell you about my tried-and-tested ways of getting rid of unwanted facial hair. By the way, it’s an old wives’ tale that if you wax, tweeze or cream unwanted hair away, it will grow back thicker. It really doesn’t – it grows back pretty much the same as before.

MOLE PATROL

As unappealing as a mole with hair sprouting from it may seem to you, it can actually be pretty reassuring in terms of your cancer risk. That’s because moles with hair growing from them generally aren’t cancerous. If you do have concerns, however, or if a mole changes shape, colour or is itchy in any way, always consult your doctor.

If you do have a hairy mole and are unsure what to do, my advice is to trim the hairs from the mole in good clear light, as close to the skin’s surface as possible, using a sharp pair of nail scissors and a magnified mirror. Be terribly careful not to cut the actual skin.

If you prefer to pluck the hairs out, always pull the skin tight using your fingers and pluck out the unwanted hair using tweezers, as close to the root of the hair as possible. Squeeze the tweezers together tightly and pull away from the skin to remove the hair.

TERRIFIC TWEEZERS

I think that Tweezerman Tweezers are the best and can be purchased in any good chemist at approximately €20, depending on the size and style. Tweezers go blunt after a while, so if you’ve had your tweezers for more than two years then treat yourself to a new pair.

NOT SUCH A CLOSE SHAVE?

Women really should not shave their facial hair. Firstly, stubble is really noticeable, inflammatory and makes the skin look papery and thin, especially around the mouth area. Book an appointment with your beautician to help you sort out your razor addiction.

If you do like to shave your underarms and legs, however, Gillette Venus sensitive disposable razors are great for a quick smooth shave. I recommend using disposable razors twice maximum and then chucking them out.

GETTING LIPPY

If a teenage girl is conscious of dark hair on her upper lip, I advise trying Jolen cream bleach, which will turn the hair a light golden brown. Stockists include www.boots.ie for €4.49 for 30ml. If the hair is very noticeable, I would advise Veet hair removal cream for sensitive skin. Stockists include www.sammccauleys.com for €9.39 for 200ml. Always read the information provided before you use any kind of hair-removing products and be military with the time-keeping.

The top lip will feel a tad numb after first application. Always apply the cream with the applicator stick included. Use a thin layer of cream and be warned that the cream will have a slight ammonia smell. The hair will stay away for about a month.

WAX ON/WAX OFF

Waxing to remove unwanted hair may not be everyone’s cup of tea but if you do want to tackle the chin/ upper lip/eyebrow area, I recommend going to your local beautician as you must be very careful and precise when dealing with warm wax.

Regarding unwanted hair on other areas of the body (eg legs), I’ve found the least painful way to remove it at home is by using the Veet Professional Warm Stripless Wax, currently on offer at www.boots.ie for €13.99.

Always read the instructions before applying any kind of wax to your body and do a patch test, which means applying a small amount of the product to a small area of your skin in advance. If the skin shows no adverse reaction 24 hours later, you are good to go. After waxing, the hair does not grow back for at least six weeks.

Again, if you don’t feel 100% confident to wax at home, do go to your local beautician. Also, if you are prone to breakouts, very sensitive skin or bad acne, waxing may not be right for you.

Top tip: To soften the pain before waxing the upper lip, chin, legs, arms, underarms or bikini line, I use some over-the-counter baby teething gel to take the sting out.

ELECTROLYSIS

There are many types of electrolysis on the market to rid your face and neck of stubborn, long-term, unwanted hair, but I’ve found the latest treatment by Apilus.

This laser hair-removing treatment will remove each individual hair from the root. It’s quite a timely process and there is a slight sting but it’s so very worth it. The results are really amazing.

A friend of mine suffered terribly with black hairs on her neck and chin and felt very self-conscious, so she went to Elegant Lady Beauty Salon, Edenderry (https://elegantladybeauty.ie/) for her free consultation. She had six 15-minute sessions with the Apilus system and at €25 a session, she was utterly thrilled with the results.

Another male friend of mine suffered with a constant and nasty ingrown hair problem, especially on his jaw line. Having tried every shaving gel, razor and cream available, after a little persuasion from me, he finally went off and had a course of Apilus and has never looked back.

You can have electrolysis on your brows, bikini line, legs and arms. Apilus is also offered by many other beauty salons nationwide, including selected Sam McCauley salons. CL