What is Peach Fuzz?

Peach fuzz is the fine hair that grows on your face, typically on the upper lip, the chin, and the cheeks. It gets its name from its resemblance to the soft fuzz on the skin of a peach. Don’t worry, peach fuzz is completely normal – and it has a purpose. It’s there to protect the skin and regulate its temperature. But if you’re not loving your fuzz, it’s also completely harmless to remove.

Some women choose to get rid of peach fuzz for a range of reasons – smoother skin, seamless makeup application and visible facial hair are just a few. It’s entirely a personal choice whether to remove your peach fuzz or not. If you decide to bid your fuzz farewell, there’s a range of methods for removing peach fuzz, including:

• Shaving
• Waxing
• Threading
• Electrolysis

These hair removal methods have a range of benefits beyond removing unwanted fuzz, like exfoliation and reduced ingrown hair. Let’s explore some top techniques for removing face fuzz.

Shaving is one of the most popular methods for removing peach fuzz. Just take a clean shaving razor and glide it gently in the direction of hair growth to trim hair at the skin surface. Whatever you do, don’t use the same razor you use to shave your legs and other body parts! The skin on your face is extra sensitive, so opt for a gentler blade designed for shaving peach fuzz on face.

Shaving peach fuzz on the face has a range of benefits. It’s the easiest way to get rid of peach fuzz as shaving is quick and simple, even for beginners. Peach fuzz shaving can even have an exfoliating effect on the skin – razor blades also remove dead skin and other pore-clogging debris.

With shaving, there is a risk of nicks and cuts and skin irritation. Use a specific peach fuzz razor, and wash and moisturise afterwards, this will greatly reduce the risk of skin irritation. Discover more about methods of facial shaving.

Another common technique for removing peach fuzz, waxing pulls the hair from the root. You can either go to a salon or wax your face at home. If you opt to save some pennies and wax at home, there are different types of wax you can use, including hot wax, hard wax and pre-made wax strips. They all work the same way: the wax grips onto hair and removes it from the root when pulled off.

The main benefit of waxing peach fuzz is how long the results last. As the hair is completely removed, it takes around three to four weeks to grow back, so you can enjoy a fuzz-free face for longer.

Waxing can cause redness and skin irritation, especially immediately afterwards. It’s also more painful than shaving, so if you’re looking for a pain-free way to get rid of peach fuzz, waxing isn’t the one for you.

You might think threading is just for eyebrows, but you can get your peach fuzz threaded, too. This is a method only a professional can do for you. Your technician will take two cotton threads, twist them into a loop and roll them over your skin to pluck out unwanted hair. Like waxing, threading removes hair from the root.

The pros and cons of threading peach fuzz are pretty similar to waxing. Because hair is removed from the root, the results last for weeks – great if you’re looking for a low-maintenance option. You’ll also get a flawless finish from a professional technician, with no stray hair left behind.

However, threading peach fuzz can be painful and leave your skin irritated. It’s also more costly to book a regular appointment with a technician, so it’s not as cheap as other methods like shaving.

If you want your peach fuzz gone for good, electrolysis is a permanent solution. This method for removing peach fuzz can only be carried out by a licensed professional. It works by destroying the hair follicle, causing the hair to fall out and not regrow. The technician will insert a thin metal probe into each follicle to conduct a low-level electric current to do the damage. After a full course of sessions, you’ll be peach-fuzz-free forever.

The main benefit of electrolysis for peach fuzz is that it’s permanent. So, if you don’t want to tackle the return of the fuzz regularly, electrolysis is the method for you.

However, electrolysis isn’t a cheap or quick option, requiring around ten sessions with a specialist spaced a month apart. The process can also leave the skin red or swollen, and there’s a small risk of damage to melanin.

What causes peach fuzz on the face? Peach fuzz grows all over the body, except on the palms of your hands and soles of your feet. Even your ear lobes have it! During puberty, hormonal changes can cause it to become longer, darker, or thicker. The body grows peach fuzz to help regulate temperature and provide some extra protection for the skin.

Let’s bust a common myth. No, peach fuzz won’t grow back thicker if you remove it. When hair is cut by a razor, it has a blunt edge which can feel coarser as it grows back, but it’s no thicker than before.