Many men have unwanted facial hair, particularly those who are prone to dense, unruly whiskers. Thankfully, men have various options for getting rid of unwanted facial hair. Some removal methods are short term, offering temporary relief from the unwanted hair, whereas others are permanent.

Shave your face. Use a razor and shaving cream or gel to remove unwanted facial hair. Shaving cuts off hair at the skin's surface, so the results are only temporary. Depending on your hair growth cycles, you can generally enjoy smooth skin for one to seven days. If you are pinched for time daily, opt for an electric razor. While it doesn't offer as close a shave, it will save you time.

Use a depilatory lotion on your face. These lotions dissolve hair at the skin's surface. They will give you hair-free skin for one to seven days, depending on your growth patterns. Prior to spreading it all over your face, make sure to test the lotion on a small patch of skin to confirm it doesn't cause skin irritation.

Wax your face. You can find waxing kits in most cosmetic and drugstores. When you apply the wax to your face, it will bond to your facial hair. When you remove the wax, it will pull out the hairs from their roots. Because the hair has to completely grow back in, you'll generally experience a hair-free face for one to three weeks. You can also get your hair professionally waxed at most salons.

Get electrolysis on your face. Electrolysis is the only permanent method of hair removal. A licensed technician will insert a needle into each hair follicle and then release a zap of electricity. The electricity kills the hair follicle so it can't grow future hair. Each hair follicle has to be treated individually, so the process can be time consuming. A professional can assess your situation and give you an idea of the number of treatments you'll need. Generally, between four and 12 are needed to get rid of male unwanted facial hair.

Consider laser hair removal. This treatment offers a permanent reduction in hair growth. The laser's light targets the pigment in hair follicles, effectively killing the follicles and preventing future hair growth. Repeated sessions are necessary to effectively reduce unwanted facial hair. The light seeks out pigment, so the treatment works best on those with dark hair; laser hair removal is not effective on blond or gray hair. You can get laser hair removal at most dermatologists' offices. It's also available at laser centers and some spas.