Unwanted hair on the body or the face is a nuisance for women and those painful waxing sessions do not make it any easier for us. Often the problem of excessive hair growth in women starts around puberty and marks its territory across the face, neck, chest, back, toes and arms. It mostly traumatises the 18-45 age group. Scientifically, the condition is called hirsutism.
A few reasons for hirsutism:
Increased level of male hormones in the blood (androgens).
Your genes also play a role in unwanted hair growth.
PCOS which causes hormonal imbalance. Here are a few more reasons of hirsutism.
The good news is you don’t have to resort to painful or expensive treatments to get rid of unwanted hair. Here are ways to get rid of it naturally.
Spearmint tea
According to a study[1] published in Physiotherapy Research, drinking spearmint tea can help reduce free testosterone (male hormones responsible for excessive body hair) and can be used as an alternative for the treatment of mild hirsutism.
Steps
Take 1 tsp of spearmint tea leaves and place them in a cup.
Pour boiling water over them and let it steep for 10 minutes.
Now drink this tea.
Have it twice a day for five days.
Haldi and besan pack
According to Navin Taneja, director of the National Skin Centre, a pack of besan or gram flour with turmeric and a bit of curd can also help reduce the appearance of unwanted hair.
Steps
Take 1 tbsp of gram flour and add a pinch of turmeric to it.
Now add 1 tbsp of curd to it and mix well.
Apply on the face and neck. You can increase the quantity if you wish to apply it on your arms and legs as well.
Massage the skin well with the paste and once it dries off, wash it off with water.
Pumice stone
A temporary way of getting rid of unwanted hair is by depilating it using a pumice stone. The rubbing action causes friction which leads to the hair coming off from its root. Though not all coarse hair may fall off, you will notice lesser growth.
Steps
Wet the area you want to use the pumice stone on with warm water.
Nor gently rub the stone in circular motion on that area till the hair comes off.
Wash it off with running water.
Moisturise the skin well.
Do this every day when you bathe to see results.
Sugar and lemon pack
Beauty expert Shahnaz Husain recommends a pack made of sugar and lemon to reduce unwanted facial hair. Lemon also has mild bleaching properties which help conceal the growth to an extent.
Steps
Mix 30g of sugar with 10 ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice in 150 ml of water.
Mix well and then apply it on the face in the direction of the hair growth.
Leave it for 15 minutes, then rinse with cold water, rubbing the facial area gently.
Repeat once every week
Lemon and honey pack
Another pack recommended by Husain is of lemon and honey. If you find sugar too strong for your skin, you can opt for honey as it has moisturising properties. Read more beauty benefits of honey here.
Steps
Squeeze 10 ml lemon juice into 40 ml honeyand prepare a mixture.
Take a cotton swab and rub this mixture in the direction of the hair growth.
Rinse after 15 minutes.
Repeat twice a week for two weeks
So make use of these remedies and say goodbye to unwanted hair in a safe and natural way!