I’ve heard of things like Nair that make it fall out… if that was a one-and-done solution I’d be all for it, but I’m hoping for something that slows or stops it from growing.
I go clean shaven, but I get the ‘5 o-clock’ shadow the second I put the razor down, and look homeless if I skip a day or two.
Tried growing a beard - looked alright, but the amount of product and effort I shoved into that thing was ridiculous. And it was maddeningly itchy the entire time (lasted about a year putting up with it).
I’ve spent the last couple years with the conclusion that hair is just annoying, and I want it gone with as little effort and expense as possible.
Kinda partial to keeping the eyebrows and lashes cuz they keep shit out of my eyes, but honestly if losing them is the cost of getting rid of the rest of it, I’d call that a fair trade.
Some initial searching shows there is a market for hair growth suppressants, but chewbaccoids like myself might not be among the target audience lol.
Anyone got a recommendation or cautionary tale?
If you’re really sure about getting rid of your beard, laser hair removal will do the trick. It takes many sessions, but as long as your hair isn’t blonde or lighter it’ll get rid of it. Electrolysis can take care of any white hairs you have. Once you’re finished you’ll never have to think about shaving again
Laser hair removal, unlike electrolysis, isn’t permanent and needs to be repeated about every seven years.
but as long as your hair isn’t blonde or lighter it’ll get rid of it
Why can’t it do blond hairs 😢
Light colored hair reflects the light, while dark hair absorbs it and converts it to heat, which essentially causes it to burn off.
(Not an expert on laser hair removal, but pretty sure thats how it works)
Newer laser can work on lighter hair, still less effective but possible nowadays.
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Until you can afford it deal with the more permanent solutions, I used to know someone who both waxed and epilated their beard.
They used stripless wax like GiGi Strip Free, a microwaveable wax that smells like pine resin you can get at Sally beauty supply. They also purchased an epilator from Amazon, which is a device that plucks hair in bulk and looks like an electric shaver.
Both methods are touchy but can give you a smooth face with a longer regrow time.
With waxing you have to be careful not to rip off your skin which is always a risk when waxing the face. Epilating just takes technique and pain tolerance.
Both are reportedly painful at first but you get used to it after a while.
I’d break out in acne with waxing, but hair removal creams are pretty good these days if you don’t want that or pain.
I realize OP specifically wanted not that, but the thing is they do start reducing growth over time.
Just, uh, don’t use the ones for sensitive areas. It’s not worth the risk of leaving it on a bit too long. Trust me.
I’m a lady but waxing has certainly changed my experience with shaving lower body. Apparently every time you pull out the hairs, a few give up (as evidenced by all the skinny eyebrows of anyone who survived the 1990s). Over time there are fewer, and the growback is not nearly as itchy as shaving. I have no idea if it’s offered for beards but if so it might get you to the point you could shave comfortably, it did that for me at the other end of my body, it still grows as fast but is not so thick, individual hairs are finer and there are fewer of them.
Waxing beards can hurt a lot. Beard hair & roots are very dense and thick in comparison to body hair (which is already not a great feeling based on my experiences with adhesives).
Chemo does it!
I’m fed-up with shaving, & wish I could get & use a laser permanent-ish epilation thingy for my beard, but … my hair’s mostly white, now, & it requires color for working ( the laser-light has to be absorbed, right? )
I don’t know that Black people could use that, though, now that I think of it ( the unfairness of it just struck me, it isn’t pertinent to your situation, I don’t believe )
hmm…
