Female Chin Whiskers - Appalachian Spring Dermatology

Why they occur and how to get rid of them

Why am I growing these whiskers on my chin? This is a common question for my female patients in their 50s and above. Chin whiskers occur when our hairs convert from fine hair to thicker hair under hormonal control.

All over the skin, except the palms and the soles, we have hair follicles. Most of the body is covered in fine, lightly colored hairs called vellus hairs. Under hormonal control, those fine vellus hairs can convert to a thicker hair called terminal hair. Terminal hairs are those whiskers you can feel. Hormonal changes in women occur as their estrogen levels decline either with menopause or earlier for surgical reasons.

How can I get rid of my chin whiskers? Tweeze, shave, wax, depilatory creams, laser hair reduction, and electrolysis are viable options. Despite old wives’ tales, shaving will NOT make the hair grow thicker and darker. If it were that easy, every bald man would shave his head, and it would come in thicker and darker. Changes in the hair only occur under hormonal changes.

Shaving, Tweezing, and Waxing. These methods involve mechanical destruction or removal of the actively growing hair. 

Hair Removal with Depilatories. Depilatories use a chemical called thioglycolate mixed with sodium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide to melt the hair away literally. Thioglycolate disrupts disulfide bonds, which are chemical bonds that hold skin and hair cells together. The major side effect of a depilatory is skin irritation because the chemical can melt away skin cells. A depilatory is applied to the area with unwanted hair and left on for 3 to 15 minutes. During this time, the chemical dissolves the hair and the resulting jelly-like substance is wiped or washed off after the appropriate time. The chemical should be tested first on a small skin area, at least 48 hours before applying it to a large area. Applying a hydrocortisone cream after hair removal may help decrease irritation. I have found Surgicream to be the most gentle and well-tolerated.  

Vaniqa.  Vaniqa helps slow hair growth and helps convert terminal hairs back to vellus hairs, so it is a great choice for the chin. Vaniqa is a prescription-only topical cream that has been FDA-approved to reduce and inhibit the growth of unwanted facial hair. The active ingredient is eflornithine hydrochloride, which has been used to treat African sleeping sickness and certain cancers. Vaniqa works by inhibiting an enzyme that is needed for cell reproduction and other cell functions necessary for hair growth. Vaniqa is applied twice a day to areas of unwanted facial hair. Noticeable results are usually observed after 4-8 weeks of therapy. The application must be continued for as long as inhibition of hair growth is desired. Vaniqa continues to reduce facial hair growth for up to 8 weeks after discontinuing treatment. Vaniqa works on both terminal and vellus hairs. Vaniqa is usually not covered by insurance and costs about one dollar a day for use for the face.  

Electrolysis. In electrolysis, the technician uses a very fine needle and applies an electrical current to the hair follicle to destroy it. This is labor-intensive because the hairs must be treated one by one. It is also tough to find a qualified electrologist. On a positive note, electrolysis works no matter the color of the hair.

Laser Hair Reduction.   To learn more about Laser Hair Reduction, check out our website.  Laser works well for ear hair  as long as it is darkly colored.  If the hair is gray or white, it won’t work.  It does take multiple treatments. Treatments are scheduled 6-12 weeks apart, enough time to allow a new group of hairs to grow. It can require 6 treatments to effectively remove the hair in a given area, but patients see noticeable results after just one treatment.  

To learn more about Laser Hair Reduction see our page and YouTube videos.

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