How to Slow Body and Facial Hair Growth: What Works and What Is a Myth
If you want smoother skin with less shaving and waxing, this guide is honest about what actually works, and it separates the few real methods from a lot of internet nonsense. Two things up front: you cannot meaningfully slow scalp hair (that is genetic, and you would not want to try), so this is strictly about body and facial hair; and foods like tomatoes, cucumbers and chia seeds do not slow hair growth, however often they are repeated. What genuinely helps is a short, real list, plus one important flag: unwanted facial hair in women can signal a hormonal issue worth a GP visit.
Key takeaways
- Consistent root removal (waxing, epilating) slows regrowth over time, finer and sparser.
- Laser and IPL are the only genuine long-term reducers; growth-inhibitor creams extend smoothness.
- Spearmint tea has real (small-study) anti-androgen evidence for women's excess hair; most food "tips" do not.
- Exfoliation and moisture prevent ingrowns and keep skin smooth, they do not slow growth themselves.
- Sudden or heavy new facial/body hair in women warrants a GP check for a hormonal cause.
What genuinely slows body hair
1. Consistent root removal
Waxing, epilating and threading remove hair at the root, and repeated over months this genuinely weakens follicles, so regrowth comes back finer, lighter and sparser. Shaving does not do this (it cuts at the surface, and the blunt regrowth only feels coarser, it is not actually thicker, a persistent myth).
2. Laser and IPL, the real long-term reducers
For lasting reduction, these are the evidence-backed methods, professional courses or home devices used strictly to instruction. They target the follicle over several sessions for a genuine, semi-permanent decrease.
3. Growth-inhibitor creams
Applied after hair removal, these can slow regrowth and stretch the smooth window. A modest, real effect, unlike the food myths below.
4. Spearmint tea (for women's excess hair, the one food that has evidence)
Small studies suggest spearmint tea can mildly lower androgen activity in women with excess hair (hirsutism), a genuine, if gentle, effect. This is the one dietary "remedy" with actual research behind it, and it points at the real issue below.
The myths to skip
- Tomatoes, cucumbers, chia seeds "slowing hair": no evidence. They are healthy foods; they do not slow follicles.
- Papaya/turmeric masks reducing growth: traditional skin-brightening masks, not proven hair reducers.
- Exfoliation slowing growth: exfoliation prevents ingrowns and keeps skin smooth (genuinely useful), but does not slow the follicle itself.
- Drinking more water reducing hair: hydration helps skin, not hair-growth speed.
Honesty here saves you money and effort: chase the real methods, not the pantry.
Keep skin smooth alongside
Whatever reduction method you use, the smoothness itself is helped by good skin care, gentle exfoliation twice weekly and daily moisture prevent the ingrowns and rough regrowth that make hair feel worse than it is. A light body oil after showering is the easiest habit:
A light botanical body oil that keeps skin soft and comfortable between hair-removal sessions and helps prevent the ingrowns that spoil smoothness. Vegan and UK-made.
Shop the oilWatermans is a UK family business that has sold over 5 million bottles since 2012. The range is vegan and cruelty-free.
Frequently asked questions
Can you slow hair growth naturally?
Body hair, somewhat, consistent root removal weakens follicles over time, and spearmint tea has mild anti-androgen evidence for women. Most food "tips" do nothing, and scalp hair cannot safely be slowed.
Does shaving make hair grow back thicker?
No, that is a myth. Shaving cuts at the surface; the blunt tip feels coarser but the hair is not actually thicker or faster.
What actually reduces hair permanently?
Laser and IPL are the evidence-backed long-term reducers. Everything else slows or manages regrowth rather than removing follicles.
Does spearmint tea really reduce hair?
Small studies show it can mildly lower androgen activity in women with excess hair. Gentle and slow, but genuinely researched, unlike most food remedies.
When should I see a doctor about excess hair?
Women with new or increasing coarse facial/body hair should see a GP, it can indicate PCOS or another hormonal cause that is better treated than camouflaged.
Slowing body hair is a short honest list: root removal for gradual thinning, laser or IPL for real reduction, spearmint tea and inhibitor creams for mild support, and good skin care to keep it all smooth. Skip the pantry myths, and if excess hair is new, let a GP check the cause. For the scalp-hair version of this question, see our can you make hair grow slower guide, and for the hormonal angle, our PCOS guide.
