What can be a sign of something wrong though, is experiencing thick, rapid hair growth across your face and body. In fact, new, sudden changes in hair growth can actually be one of the frontward presenting signs of a hormonal imbalance. Michelle Green for everything there is to know about the intersection of hair growth and hormones. Meet the Expert.
Think: peach fuzz or a few darker strands here and there. When diagnosing hirsutism, Desai says that multiple factors play a role, including age, race, and family history. As for the cause of the imbalance? Desai says that PCOS Polycystic Ovary Syndrome , which begins at puberty and causes an imbalance of sex hormones , androgen-secreting tumors, and congenital adrenal hyperplasia could be at play more on those, below.
When it comes to excessive growth, most times it is a sign of a hormonal imbalance. However, according to Green, genetics and metabolism also influence patterns of hair growth. Additionally, she points out that unwanted facial hair growth can also be related to using certain medications like Minoxidil Rogaine , Androgel testosterone , or dehydroepiandrosterone DHEA. Additionally, Desai mentions that, while extremely rare, excessive facial hair growth can be due to hypertrichosis.
Neither is peach fuzz on your lip or cheeks. Hirsutism HUR-soot-iz-um is a condition in women that results in excessive growth of dark or coarse hair in a male-like pattern — face, chest and back. With hirsutism, extra hair growth often arises from excess male hormones androgens , primarily testosterone.
Self-care methods and effective treatment options are available for women who wish to treat hirsutism. Hirsutism is stiff or dark body hair, appearing on the body where women don't commonly have hair — primarily the face, chest, lower abdomen, inner thighs and back. People have widely varying opinions on what's considered excessive.
When high androgen levels cause hirsutism, other signs might develop over time, a process called virilization. Signs of virilization might include:. If you think you have too much coarse hair on your face or body, talk with your doctor about treatment options.
Excess facial or body hair is often a symptom of an underlying medical problem. See your doctor for assessment if over a few months you experience severe or rapid hair growth on your face or body or signs of virilization.
You may be referred to a doctor who specializes in hormone disorders endocrinologist or skin problems dermatologist. Any cosmetically disturbing hair growth may be a cause for concern, particularly if the onset is rapid and is associated with masculinizing signs such as:. Hirsutism before puberty and after menopause is much more uncommon and requires prompt evaluation.
Hirsutism tends to run in families and is more common in specific ethnic groups including women of Mediterranean, South Asian, and Middle Eastern descent; it is less pervasive in women of Asian and Native-American heritage. For PCOS, the birth control pill along with anti-male hormone medication will reduce and, eventually prevent any new terminal hairs. For women who are overweight or obese, embarking on a weight-loss program may help since obesity can alter the way the body produces and processes hormones.
If you want to get rid of existing terminal hair, laser or electrolysis is typically needed. These drugs are usually a long-term solution for hirsutism. You will most likely notice improvement after three to six months of drug therapy. Your doctor may prescribe the cream eflornithine to reduce the growth of facial hair. Your facial hair growth should slow after one to two months. Side effects of eflornithine include skin rash and irritation.
Hair removal techniques are a nonmedical way to manage excessive or unwanted hair. These are the same hair removal methods that many women use to keep their legs, bikini line, and underarms free of hair. Waxing, shaving, and depilatories: If you have hirsutism, you may need to be more proactive about waxing, shaving, and using depilatories chemical foams.
These are all pretty affordable and take effect immediately, but they require continual treatment. Shop for depilatories. Laser hair removal : Laser hair removal involves using concentrated light rays to damage your hair follicles. With sufficient treatments, laser hair removal can provide permanent or near-permanent results.
Electrolysis : Electrolysis is the removal of hair using an electric current. It treats each hair follicle individually, so the sessions can take longer. Both laser hair removal and electrolysis can be expensive and require multiple sessions to achieve the desired results. Some patients find these treatments uncomfortable or slightly painful.
Excessive or unwanted body and facial hair is a long-term challenge.
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