HEALTH

Let's set things straight: facial hair on guys and girls is completely normal. Yes, this includes hair on your upper lip—and it's OK!

Most people have facial hair above their lip—sometimes it's peach fuzz and sometimes it's darker. No matter the shade or the thickness, keeping it or shaving it is totally up to you! 

If you're worried or don't know where to begin, Girls' Life is here to help.

Why do I have hair above my lip?

As our bodies grow and change, they develop body hair and sometimes it takes the form of facial hair. Upper lip hair growth can be caused by an increase or decrease of hormones in our bodies (especially through puberty). 

Can I keep it? 

Of course you can! Body and facial hair are normal and natural—there's no need to fret. If you decide to keep the fuzz, you can care for it with your skin care routine—no changes needed. Embrace it! We support you. 

I don't know if I like it on me. How do I remove it?

There are quite a few methods for removing the hair above your lip. Before you try anything, we definitely recommend talking with a parent, sister, aunt or friend that can help you. Here are our top four methods for upper lip hair removal:  

1. Shaving

Let's debunk the myths. Shaving the hair above your lip won't actually make it come back thicker. It might feel like it, but we promise it's not. However, there's a huge chance that it will make your hair come back faster (we're talking about shaving every day or every other day). Nevertheless, it's inexpensive, relatively safe and easy to do at home. 

2. Threading

If you've threaded your brows before then you know the benefits. Threading the hair above your lip is an effective way to remove it without damaging your skin. 

3. Waxing

Ah, the wax—this is probably a last resort TBH. Waxing strips away the top layer of skin which could leave your skin red and irritated. However, it's affordable, effective and lasts awhile. We recommend consulting a doctor before trying this at home or at a salon!

4. Depilatory cream 

If you'd like to stay away from shaving, threading and waxing, you can always use a hair removal cream like Nair. This method uses chemicals to strip the hair away, so we recommend testing a patch beforehand to make sure your skin isn't too sensitive! 

Questions about body hair? Check out this article about "how to shave your underarms the right way"!

Images: @naircare

We want to hear from you! Send us your weirdest body questions here (seriously, we'll answer anything!) and it just might get featured.

by Allie Lijewski | 2/23/2021