Moisturizers and Facial Hair Growth

Q:  My skin is very dry. At night, I use petroleum jelly as a moisturizer but was recently told that it can cause hair growth. Is there any truth to this?

A:  The short answer is no. This may be a concern for women as they age, due to changes in the amount of estrogen that can result in the growth of facial hair. The use of many facial creams may coincide with the growth of unwelcome hair, but is not the cause. Feel free to use this as a moisturizer, if you think it helpful.

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