How to Stop Body Hair Growth

Hair growing in unwanted places can be uncomfortable or embarrassing, but it’s a relatively common problem. Excessive body hair growth can be caused by genetics or other conditions, such as hirsutism caused by high levels of androgens. Fortunately, you can try a number of therapies and lifestyle changes to reduce body hair growth and make it less visible. Before you start making sudden changes to your diet or taking supplements, talk to your doctor to make sure these therapies are safe for you.

Table of Contents

Prevents excessive hair growth on the body

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Follow a healthy diet and exercise to lose weight and reduce body hair. A healthy diet and regular exercise can help you lose weight, which in turn helps lower androgen levels that can cause excessive hair growth. You should stick to a balanced diet and try to exercise 3-4 days a week, at least 30 minutes each time to lose weight in a healthy way. ^{[1] X Cleveland Clinic Trusted Source Go to Source}

Check with your doctor before you make sudden changes to your diet and lifestyle just to be on the safe side.
Focus on lean protein sources like chicken and tofu, whole grains, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Avoid eating processed foods and sugary drinks like soda water.

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Drink mint tea. Studies have proven that peppermint tea has the effect of lowering androgen levels in the body, a factor that can cause hirsutism. You can buy mint tea or fresh mint leaves, steep in 1 cup (240 ml) of boiling water for 3-5 minutes, then strain the tea leaves and drink. ^{[2] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

Try drinking peppermint tea 1-2 times a day to see if it effectively reduces body hair growth.

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Eat more soy products. Soy contains phytoestrogens, which have a similar role to estrogen in the body. ^{[3] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to source} Excessive body hair growth can be caused by too low estrogen levels in the body, hence the consumption of soy products such as edamame (young soybeans). ), soy milk or soy sandwiches can help increase estrogen levels.

Try adding soy products to at least one meal a day.

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Take birth control pills to lower androgen levels if you’re a woman. Oral contraceptives, also known as birth control pills, have been shown to reduce body hair growth. Estrogen has the effect of neutralizing androgen, a factor that causes excessive hair growth. If you plan to take birth control pills, see your doctor for a prescription. ^{[4] X Cleveland Clinic Trusted Source Go to Source}

Don’t take birth control pills without consulting your doctor first just to be on the safe side.

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Talk to your doctor about anti-androgen medications. Anti-androgen drugs work to reduce the amount of androgen hormone, thereby reducing hair on the face and body. Ask your doctor about anti-androgen medications to see if they are safe and effective for you. ^{[5] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

If you’re a transgender woman, talk to your doctor about whether anti-androgen medications can help reduce body hair growth. Your doctor will discuss the best options for you.

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Take a vitamin D supplement. Studies have shown that taking 50,000 IU of vitamin D every 2 weeks can help reduce body hair growth. Ask your doctor about vitamin D supplements to make sure they are safe and use the correct dosage instructions on the vial to avoid side effects. ^{[6] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

Side effects of vitamin D supplements include: muscle weakness, confusion, intense thirst, nausea, and fatigue.
Vitamin D also affects blood sugar levels, so you should consult your doctor before using it, especially if you have diabetes.

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Try lowering androgen levels with a peony (peony extract) supplement. Peony is used in traditional Chinese medicine and can help reduce androgen levels in the body. The dose of peony depends on your age, health and other conditions, so you should consult your doctor before use. ^{[7] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

Peony supplements can be found at a health food store or ordered online, but be sure to ask your doctor about the proper dosage.

Permanent body hair removal

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Use electrolysis to remove hair permanently. Electrolysis is the method of inserting a small needle into the hair follicle to destroy the hair follicle with an electric current and prevent hair growth. This therapy is usually suitable for treating small areas, but larger areas can also be treated with multiple sessions. Find a skilled practitioner in your area and schedule a start date for therapy. ^{[8] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

In the US, an electrotherapy session costs about $50-$125 per hour, and you may need 8-12 sessions to remove all the hair.
The skin after treatment may be swollen and burning, but this should clear up within a few days. Moisturizing lotion can soothe the skin and keep it from drying out.
If you have a hormone disorder, such as polycystic ovary syndrome or hirsutism, this treatment will help, but hair may grow back when you stop treatment.

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Using laser hair removal is a less painful and less expensive option. Laser hair removal is a faster process than electrolysis, but hair can still grow back between treatments. Typically, you will need 4-6 sessions a few weeks apart for visible and lasting results. You can search online for a dermatologist or skin care professional who offers laser hair removal, or ask your doctor for a referral. ^{[9] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

The average cost of a laser hair removal session in the US is around $285, and it usually takes 4-6 sessions to remove 80% of the hair.
During laser therapy, the body’s natural hair growth will decrease, but you may experience some side effects such as dry skin, skin irritation or burning pain. However, most side effects go away on their own after a few days.
Laser hair removal can permanently remove hair in some areas of the body, but in some cases, hair can grow back after treatment is stopped.

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Apply eflornithine hair removal cream to stop hair growth. Eflornithine is a medication used to slow hair growth by blocking the production of natural enzymes in the skin that promote hair growth. This effect can slow down hair growth and make existing hair thinner and lighter in color. You can reduce body hair growth if you continue to use the cream. ^{[10] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

The eflornithine cream costs about $200 and is available by prescription only.
Side effects of eflornithine cream include: skin redness, rash, headache, skin burning or itching.

Improve the condition of body hair

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Shave to temporarily remove hair. Shaving is a simple and effective way to remove body hair. Although it is rumored that shaving will cause hair to grow back thicker and faster, there is no scientific evidence to support this notion. Apply shaving cream to the area to be shaved and use a razor designed to shave body hair to reduce skin irritation. Shave in the direction of hair growth to make it easier to cut the hair and reduce the risk of cutting the skin. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Shaving will help reduce the amount of hair on the skin while waiting for other treatments to work.
Shaving can lead to ingrown hairs, but you can prevent this by applying soap or body wash to your skin before waxing or shaving to pull the hairs out of the hair follicles.

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Wax hair removal to remove hair and reduce hair growth. Waxing can be painful, but this method is really effective in reducing body hair growth. Hair will be removed from the root, so hair regrowth will be thinner, lighter and slower. You can buy wax to wax yourself at home or go to a salon for professional waxing. ^{[12] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to source}

If you’re waxing at home, use a hard wax to remove hair on sensitive areas like your face, armpits, and bikini area. Soft wax can be used on other skin areas such as legs, back, chest and arms.
You can buy wax to heat in the microwave and buy cloth tape at major stores. You can also buy wax-ready hair removal patches if you don’t want to melt the wax yourself.
Wax every 2 weeks for best results. ^{[13] X Research Source}
Do not use hair removal wax on damaged skin. If you have an open wound, acne or skin infection, wait until the skin is completely healed.
Waxing can lead to discolouration if you have dark skin.

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Pull out hair with tweezers. Use tweezers to pluck each hair or go to a salon or esthetician for a professional epilation. The method of hair removal at the root will slow down hair growth and improve the condition of body hair. ^{[14] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

Waxing can be painful and irritating to the skin.

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Apply hair removal cream to melt and lighten the hair color. Hair removal creams contain chemicals that dissolve hair on the surface of the skin. While hair may regrow slightly faster than waxing, the regrown hairs may be thinner and lighter in color due to the bleaching effect of many hair removal creams. Apply the cream according to the instructions on the package to remove body hair. ^{[15] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

This method is also much less painful than waxing and does not cause skin irritation like shaving.
Popular brands of hair removal creams include Nair, Veet, and Neomen. You can find hair removal cream at a department store or order it online.
You can also buy creams that are specially formulated for certain areas of the body such as the face, bikini area, and legs. ^{[16] X Research Source}

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Bleach hair to make it lighter and less visible. Use a bleaching kit specifically designed for body hair, and be sure to find one that matches your skin tone and coat type. Mix the ingredients well and apply the bleach solution according to the instructions on the package to lighten the hair color so that the hair is less visible. ^{[17] X Research Source}

Bleach can be irritating when applied to the skin and can cause irritation, but it should go away if you apply a moisturizing lotion for a few days.
Concentrate on applying the bleach on darker hairy areas, such as your arms or legs.
Avoid hot showers after waxing to prevent skin dryness.

Advice

Making healthy lifestyle changes like diet and exercise can reduce the amount of unsightly body hair, in addition to providing other health benefits.

Warning

Don’t take supplements without talking to your doctor first to make sure it’s safe.

Steps

Prevents excessive hair growth on the body

Permanent body hair removal

Improve the condition of body hair

Advice

Warning

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