How To Get Rid of Facial Hair During Menopause and Slow Regrowth—No More Plucking Chin Hair!
Experts reveal the home remedies and in-office treatments that help with chin and upper-lip hair
Key Takeaways
- Menopause-related hormone changes can make some facial hairs darker and coarser.
- Prescription creams and in-office treatments can help manage unwanted facial hair.
- Laser hair removal and electrolysis differ in cost, sessions needed and hair colors treated.
If your tweezers have become your most-used beauty tool, you’re in good company. Those chin hairs, upper-lip strays and jawline whiskers tend to show up right around perimenopause—and they’re stubborn. The good news? You don’t have to live in a plucking loop. There are science-backed ways to get rid of facial hair during menopause and slow it down so it’s less likely to come roaring back.
Why menopause triggers chin and upper-lip hairs
Blame the hormone shift. As estrogen drops in perimenopause and menopause, the androgens your body still makes (like testosterone) have a bigger relative impact, says Maral Malekzadeh, DO, a board-certified gynecologist who specializes in women’s hormonal health.
“It’s about the balance between estrogen and androgens, which are male-type hormones like testosterone,” she explains. “Early in life, both estrogen and androgens are present, but during perimenopause and menopause, estrogen levels start to decline. As a result, the effects of androgens become more noticeable. It’s not that you have more testosterone—it’s that, with less estrogen, you feel the impact of the androgen levels more.”
The result? Fine “peach fuzz” on the chin and upper lip can transition into coarse, dark hairs, says Purvisha Patel, MD, a dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare. Harmless, but frustrating.
How women can get rid of facial hair during menopause
Our experts say there are several options for removing facial hair at home. Here are the methods worth trying:
Sip mint tea
One of the easiest places to start is your mug. A British study in Phytotherapy Research found that women with excess androgens who drank spearmint tea twice a day showed a “clear and significant alteration” in hormone levels and reported less hair growth. Dr. Malekzadeh notes that peppermint and its close cousin spearmint can help lower testosterone over time—just give it several weeks of consistent sipping.
Boost your zinc levels
Zinc is another friend. It may reduce production of DHT, an androgen that pushes follicles to grow darker, coarser hair. In one study in Biological Trace Element Research, women with PCOS who took 50 mg of zinc daily for eight weeks saw six times greater reduction in excess hair growth than those who didn’t. The catch: it mainly helps if you’re deficient, Dr. Patel cautions.
Food is the safest route—oysters pack 50 mg in just two ounces, with beef, shellfish and pork delivering 3 to 7 mg per serving. Only supplement under a doctor’s care; too much zinc can backfire.
Supplement with saw palmetto
Saw palmetto blocks androgen activity at the follicle, Dr. Malekzadeh says, with most women noticing results within four to six weeks of consistent use. Just be sure to check with your doctor before starting any new supplement to nail down the right dose.
Apply this TikTok-trendy oil
Cyperus rotundus oil has fans on social media, and a small study in Aesthetic Surgery Journal found it reduced hair as much as laser treatments—and worked better on gray hair. But no follow-up studies exist on this hair removal method, and consumer versions of the oil vary wildly, warns Vanessa Coppola, MS, FNP-BC, a board-certified menopause expert and founder of Bare Aesthetic Med Spa. If you want to try it, patch-test a small area first, especially if you have sensitive skin.
Ask about prescription options
Eflornithine cream—once sold as Vaniqa and now available in compounded versions from telehealth providers like Musely and Wisp for about $30 to $45 a month—slows the rate of facial hair growth, with visible results in four to eight weeks. “It’s a great option to slow the rate of hair growth,” Dr. Patel confirms. “It’s effective.” Just know hair gradually returns if you stop.
Then there’s spironolactone, an oral medication that blocks androgen receptors and reduces finer hair growth over time. “A laser treatment will help get rid of the hair and then the medication can help slow down and prevent regrowth,” Dr. Malekzadeh says—making it a smart pairing with in-office treatments (more on that below).
In-office facial hair removal treatments
For long-term reduction, laser hair removal or electrolysis are your most effective bets, says Dr. Patel. Laser treats many hairs at once over six to eight sessions (minimum $50 each), but works best on light skin with dark hair and won’t touch gray or white strands. Electrolysis treats hairs one by one—15 to 30 sessions at a minimum of $25 each—but works on any color.
If those feel out of reach, Coppola notes that “shaving, careful tweezing, threading and facial depilatories can provide safe and effective daily control” when it comes to getting rid of facial hair during menopause.
The bottom line on how to get rid of facial hair
The pluck-a-thon doesn’t have to be forever. With the right mix of supplements, prescriptions and in-office options, you can get rid of facial hair like stubborn chin hairs or peach fuzz on your upper lip—and keep it from staging a comeback.
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