It seems since I hit my 40s, unwelcome facial hair leaves me looking a bit more like a boy going through puberty than like a gracefully aging women.
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One way it’s most obvious? Excessive peach fuzz. The vellus hairs that grow on the cheeks and jaw tend to be fine and light in color, but once foundation and powder latch on to them, the unflattering face “fur” ends up being highlighted.
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Hollywood legends Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor are rumored to have shaved their faces to eliminate these hairs. But there’s no need to lather up with shaving cream to follow suit.
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“Dermaplaning is similar to female face shaving. It is cosmetic, but it can benefit those who do it. Makeup generally goes on smoother, skin feels softer, skin tone gets evened out and products penetrate deeper with regular dermaplaning,
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It’s commonly done in dermatologists’ offices without pain or irritation. But you can easily learn how to dermaplane at home for a fraction of the cost!
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You’re not alone if you think dermaplaning sounds like a science-fiction term: It’s a method of shaving your face using a razor blade or a scalpel to remove unwanted peach fuzz. And as Bankson explains, it’s a minimally invasive and relatively safe procedure when done by a licensed professional. It does double duty not only removing the hair, but it also removes up to two weeks’ worth of dead skin cells, oils and debris leaving your face smooth and your skin glowing. That’s a lot more effective than that tube of face scrub you keep in the shower.
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While it’s an excellent procedure for women of all ages, those in their later years may benefit most as they experience increased facial hair growth. According to the National Institute of Aging, over a million women experience menopause yearly, typically between the ages of 45 and 55, and the changing hormone levels can cause many women to experience thinning hair on the head but an increase in hair in other body parts, like the face. One study showed that 40% of women over 45 experience unwanted facial hair, especially on the chin. But that pesky peach fuzz and even darker, coarser hairs can show up elsewhere, too, like the cheeks, neck, upper lip and even the forehead.
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There are two different methods of dermaplaning. The first is done in a licensed aesthetician or doctor’s office. Wet dermaplaning is done using a surgical steel razor blade and is usually only performed by professionals. This method involves adding oil (like jojoba oil) to the skin to help the blade glide over the skin and is better for coarser hair,” explains Bankson. Professional dermaplaning can cost anywhere from $75 to $200, depending on where you live. The other method is doing it yourself at home for a fraction of the cost.
