Hair Removal – Facial Hair in Women

This policy applies to patients aged 18 and over

Not Routinely Funded

Patients with naturally occurring downy facial hair which can be commoner in some ethnic groups is completely normal and does not identify as hirsutism. Hirsutism affects approximately 10% of women in Western societies and is seen in those of Mediterranean or Middle Eastern descent.

Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board will fund one course of treatment to a maximum of 10 sessions, dependent on patient presentation and if endocrinological assessment confirms presence of underlying medical disease and all the following criteria are met:

• Coarse facial hair needing to shave/wax/any form of hair removal every 2-3 days over a period of 9 months.

AND

• Patient has trialled topical creams* and/or oral treatments for a minimum period of 4 months which has had minimal effect. (*TAG agreements – ratification July 2024   (Search document [CTRL+F] for Vaniqa))

Subsequent requests for further treatment must also be submitted via IFR.

Note: Facial hair removal is the commissioning responsibility of NHS England for patients who are undergoing gender reassignment. For patients undergoing gender reassignment surgery, hair removal from donor sites for reconstructive surgery is approved in accordance with the NHS England Specialised Commissioning Group Gender Dysphoria Commissioning Policy: https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/spec-services/npc-crg/gender-dysphoria-clinical-programme/

Laser Hair Removal – Non-face body areas and for non-cosmetic reasons  (Knowledge NoW)

Cases for Individual Funding Consideration

On a case-to-case basis, patients might be eligible for surgical intervention, in consideration of their exceptionality. The requesting clinician must provide information to support the case for being considered an exception, by submitting an individual funding request.