How to Get Rid of Upper-Lip Hair

What keeps upper-lip hair invisible the longest—bleaching, waxing, or threading? —Molly, Chicago, IL

Every woman’s hair grows in at a different rate—typically between two and six weeks, a time frame predetermined by genetics and hormones. So it’s better to choose an option based on your skin type/tone and hair texture, says Mona Gohara, M.D., a dermatologist at Advanced DermCare in Connecticut.

A helpful guide: Bleaching works for those with fine, light hair and skin, while waxing and threading are more effective for women with darker, coarser hair and olive or darker skin tones, says Gohara. For sensitive skin, threading—in which thread pulls out hair from the root—is safest because it doesn’t involve chemicals or removing an epidermal layer.