This Is Why Women Should Start Shaving Their Faces

Because waxing hurts and laser hair removal costs $$$.

FACT: It's totally normal for a woman to shave her face if she wants to get rid of facial hair.

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"There's no reason why a woman shouldn't shave her face as a means of hair removal," dermatologist Dr. David E. Bank, director of The Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic & Laser Surgery, tells BuzzFeed Life. If you're looking into facial hair-removal options, you should strongly consider shaving because: 1) It doesn't hurt, 2) It hardly costs anything (except for a razor and some shaving cream), and 3) Um, did we mention it DOESN'T HURT?

If you want to remove facial hair with shaving, here are a few facts to consider:

Hair does not grow back thicker after you shave.

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"Neither waxing nor shaving causes hair to grow in faster or thicker," says Bank. "We have a certain number of hair follicles in the skin and, if you don't destroy them with lasers, they will continue to grow in at the same rate and with the same thickness."

Shaving is a great way to exfoliate your face.

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"Shaving your face easily removes superficial skin cells," Bank says. "If you have to deal with unwanted facial hair, at least you can also get daily exfoliation that's going to help your skin feel younger and healthier. "

Shaving cream makes a big difference.

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"We encourage our patients to use shaving cream instead of soap," Bank says. "Today's shaving creams have soothing, anti-inflammatory, and skin-protecting ingredients that allow for a cleaner shave with the least amount of irritation."

Or try dermaplaning.

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Some women prefer using small eyebrow razors to shave their faces. "Also, a razor with a good pivot head can be great for navigating the curves of the face," dermatologist Dr. Francesca Fusco tells BuzzFeed Life.

Waxing irritates your skin way more than shaving does.

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Some people aren't sensitive to waxing, but for those of us who are, we know what a red, itchy nightmare it is. One option: Try shaving — it's gentler on the skin, which means you may have a better reaction to it.

Reconsider shaving your face if you take acne medication.

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"If a woman is on any acne medication that sensitizes the skin, shaving must be done carefully," says Fusco. "If any rash, cold sore, infection or dermatitis is active, they should defer shaving."

First shave downward a few times, then try upward.

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"To lessen the degree of skin irritation, shave in the direction of the hair growth first to remove the majority of the hair," Bank says. "Then do one very gentle pass against the direction of the hair growth to get the closest shave possible."

Shave your face while you're in the shower.

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"The combination of hot water and steam opens the pores and softens the hairs so that when you shave, the razor is less irritating to the skin," Bank says.

Certain hair-removal creams, like Vaniqa, may irritate your skin.

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"The only cream I'm aware of that really removes hair is the prescription cream Vaniqa," says Bank. "But Vaniqa can be both irritating and slightly pore-blocking for some people, so it's important to thoroughly discuss this option with a dermatologist."

Use your tongue to help shave tricky areas around your mouth.

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Pushing your tongue into your cheek can help smooth out hard-to-reach hairs around your lips, cheeks, and chin.

If you want to get rid of baby hairs, lasers won't do it.

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"Today's lasers do best with highly pigmented hairs that are easy to target, which means that an optimal laser patient is someone who has darker hair and lighter skin," says Bank. "Fair, thin hairs (or vellus hair) along the jawline will not be removed by lasers." However, you can easily remove them by shaving.