How to Get Rid of Facial Hair Caused by Birth Control

Although there are some great aspects to the pill, such as the prevention of unplanned pregnancies, easing pre-menstrual syndrome pains and as treatment for acne and ovarian cysts, there are also some negative side effects that many women don't know about. These include severe mood swings, depression, weight gain or loss, increased acne, blood clots, pulmonary embolisms and facial hair. Although you will need to see your doctor about any mental or physical health issues associated with birth control, you can take care of the facial hair problem on your own.

Things You'll Need

• Facial hair removal creams
• Wax
• Razor blades
• Shaving cream/gel
• Prescription treatments
• Laser hair removal

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Instructions

• 1

  Apply a light, sensitive skin facial hair removal cream to your face. Birth control can cause the skin to become more sensitive and dry, so using a hair removal cream made for sensitive skin is a good product to try first. Smooth the cream over your skin, and leave it on for the amount of time recommended in the directions. Wipe the cream -- and your hair -- off with a damp rag. This painless hair removal technique will keep your skin smooth for several weeks.

• 2

  Get your face waxed at a salon or at home. If you don't feel like shelling out $20 for a facial wax, try wax strips. Rub one sheet of wax strip in between your hands to warm the wax up, peel the plastic sheets apart, place one side of the strip on your face, then rip it right off. Not as painful as it sounds, waxing and wax strips will keep your face smooth for four weeks or longer. This is not recommended for women who have sensitive or dry skin or acne due to their birth control use.

• 3

  Shave your face with a man's facial razor blade. Women's facial hair produced by the pill is typically very fine. For a quick fix, apply a shaving cream or gel to your face. Work the cream/gel into a lather, then simply shave your face while you're in the shower or getting ready in the bathroom. Although this will not last for weeks, it will keep you smooth for a couple of days. The hair won't grow back darker, thicker or fuller.

• 4

  Visit a dermatologist and get a prescription for a facial hair removal cream. These creams help eliminate or reduce facial hair semi-permanently. But you should take caution before trying the prescription. Since women who have facial hair are usually experiencing a hormonal imbalance, some prescription creams may contain synthetic hormone replacements. Talk with your gynecologist to see if the prescription will interact with your birth control pill before applying the cream.

• 5

  Remove the facial hair permanently with electrolysis. Although it can be painful and expensive, electrolysis is currently the only way to permanently remove unwanted facial hair. If you think you'll be on the pill for many years, this may be an option you'd like to try. But for those who will only be on the pill for a couple years or less, it may not worth the price.

• 6

  Switch birth control pills. There are dozens of different birth control pill brands currently on the market, and each one is slightly different than the next. Some have more estrogen, others more progestin. Many women will have to try a variety of birth control pills until they find the one brand that works perfectly with their bodies. If your birth control is causing unwanted facial hair, it's time for you to try another brand.

• 7

  Stop taking the pill and consider a different form of birth control. Condoms, diaphragms, cervical caps and natural family planning -- or the rhythm method -- are all methods of birth control that are effective at preventing unplanned pregnancies. None of these birth control methods contain hormones that will cause unwanted facial hair or mental and physical health issues of any kind. For those women who have unwanted facial hair due to birth control, sometimes the best thing to do is get off the pill altogether.