The best way to remove upper lip hair varies by individual. Shaving, waxing, tweezing and depilatories can all help to remove upper lip hair. However, each of these methods offers only temporary hair removal. If you're looking for more long-term results, your choices are rather limited. They often involve prescription medication or cosmetic procedures to either retard hair growth or damage the follicle so it no longer produces hair.
Step 1
Talk to your doctor or dermatologist about the best way to remove upper lip hair. No two people are exactly alike, so your body can react differently to the available hair removal techniques than another person's does. To determine which method is right for you, discuss all your options with a health care provider.
Step 2
Apply an eflornithine cream along the upper lip. Though this prescription medication won't remove hair, it's quite effective in retarding hair growth in women, according to the Mayo Clinic. By applying the cream to the upper lip each day, you can reduce the rate of hair growth by blocking the enzymes used to produce hair.
Step 3
Consider laser hair removal. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends this procedure to remove unwanted hair. Low-level energy is administered to the upper lip where it can be absorbed by the melanin in the hair. This destroys the shaft, removing the hair from the skin. It also damages the follicle, prohibiting hair growth. Since the area is relatively small it may only take one session to provide a hair-free appearance along the upper lip.
Step 4
Make an appointment for electrolysis. In line with the American Electrology Association, you can achieve permanent removal of your upper lip hair with electrolysis. In this procedure, a fine needle is inserted directly into the follicle, administering an electric shock that prevents hair growth altogether.
Tips and Warnings
- Since eflornithine doesn't actually remove hair, you'll still need to employ other hair removal techniques to provide a hair-free appearance to the upper lip. Remove hair five minutes prior to application for best results, urges the Mayo Clinic.
- Avoid using at-home electrolysis kits. While they can provide permanent hair removal, they're much more likely to cause infection and scarring than professionally administered electrolysis.
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