Psychological Impact

Some women find it fairly easy to cope with unwanted facial hair, regarding it as nothing more than an irritating nuisance. Other women react completely differently – for them unwanted facial hair is a major source of distress – in fact, 30% of women with unwanted facial hair have clinical depression and 75% have clinical anxiety.⁴

The research we have carried out for this campaign illustrates the impact of facial hair on emotional well-being. In our discussion groups², we asked women to describe their feelings about having facial hair – their comments show clearly that facial hair is not just a cosmetic problem:

Our 1,000 Women’s Report backs this up:

• 85% of women have some level of anxiety because of their facial hair³

• The emotional impact is greater in younger women (under the age of 50) than in older age groups³

• 98% of all women surveyed said that they had negative feelings as a result of having facial hair³

• Over half of women taking part in the survey said they often or always have negative thoughts about the way they look³

Sadly, many women don’t feel able to discuss the topic with friends or family, so they carry the burden alone:

• More than half the women surveyed felt uncomfortable talking to their family about their problem³

• An even greater proportion – more than two out of three – felt uncomfortable discussing the topic with their friends³

With the right support and advice, most women can find ways of coping with facial hair. For further information on the psychological impact of facial hair and ways of taking control of facial hair, please visit our Not just a cosmetic problem, Video diaries and Do I need to see a doctor? pages.