Excess body and facial hair, known as hirsutism, affects up to 10 percent of women in the United States, according to the Mayo Clinic. This condition results from the presence of too much of the male hormone testosterone, which produces coarse and dark-colored hair where men usually grow hair, such as on the face. Both men and women can remove hair--and inhibit its future growth--in unwanted places by using a homemade sugaring solution that is similar, though much less expensive, to the wax that professional hair removers use.
Pour water, sugar and lemon juice into a stovetop pan.
Heat the mixture on medium heat until all the ingredients are mixed and the solution is smooth. Let the solution cool to room temperature or slightly warmer (as long as it's comfortable to the touch).
Dust the area where you want to inhibit hair growth with cornstarch to prepare it for the sugaring solution.
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Use your fingers or a butter brush to spread a thin layer of the solution on the area where you want to inhibit hair growth. Make sure to apply the solution in the direction of your hair growth.
Press a cotton cloth strip onto the solution. Run your hand back and forth several times to make sure that the cotton strip is adhering to the skin properly and evenly. Wait a few minutes for the solution to harden.
Take a corner of the strip and quickly pull the entire strip off, making sure to do so against the direction of your hair growth.
Tip
You may need to repeat the procedure several times for best results. To determine the direction of your hair growth, run your hand over the hair--the direction that feels the smoothest on your hand is the direction of hair growth.
Warning
Herbal hair inhibitors are heavily marketed and promise instant results; however, none of these products have been clinically tested for effectiveness or safety.
References
Writer Bio
Max Stirner is a New York-based writer and editor with over a decade of experience. He has a Master's degree in Library and Information Science, and is a published writer, both in print and online.