Bleaching Facial Hair Warnings

For many women with very fine unwanted hairs bleaching the hairs of the lip, the chin, the face or the upper neck is an effective and relatively inexpensive way of masking the presence of these hairs. The hairs treated with these products will both soften, so they lay flatter, and lighten. It takes a bit of skill with makeup not to make these hairs more noticeable, which is why cosmetically it may be a better result to select a technique like hair reduction instead. The products for beaching hair that are available are most all available over the counter without a prescription. Virtually all the products contain both hydrogen peroxide and sulfates. Irritation and skin coloration changes are the most common side effect. If used long enough and the irritation becomes chronic itching is also a common side effect of bleaching.  There may be a variety of chemicals used for the bleaching process, but we caution our patients regarding the sulfate components. If you are allergic to sulfa drugs you could possibly be allergic to the sulfate in facial bleaching products. It is also possible to develop a sulfa allergy if you have been using these products long enough. Like with new makeup, new skin products, it is a good idea to just test in a small patch to make sure your skin is not sensitive to the bleach product. If you develop skin changes, consult your, cosmetic medicine provider, health care provider or dermatologist before continuing product use.