Facial Hair on Women Causes, Excessive Facial Hairs, Removal and Treatments

The hair on your chin or upper lip especially if you are a female can be pretty annoying, right? Getting hair on the face last places you would ever imagine can be quite distressful and frustrating especially in current society trends, where it is believed women are only supposed to have hair on their heads if anywhere.

According to Healthline, 9 out of 10 women are constantly surprised with hair growth in unwanted places such as the chin and upper lip region. Facial hair on women is considered resentful and outright just wrong and no! Just because you have them doesn’t mean you are any less beautiful.

Numerous women across the universe are looking for permanent solutions to promptly eradicate facial hair to avoid cultural pressure and social stigmatization. Being hairy all over your body and face is common to human beings, but having an excessive amount especially on the face is considered uncommon among women. Fortunate with the current booming technological advancement and scientific research this problem can easily be tackled.

Causes

Suddenly getting too hairy can be quite scary especially if it is the first time you are experiencing it. Facial hair is a common phenomenon among women. The problem comes in when it comes to distinguishing natural and unnatural growth.

According to women’s health network, natural hair is common to all human beings and is present throughout our livelihood from birth until death.  Unnatural growth especially in women is associated with terminal or androgenic hair and usually starts to appear during periods where hormonal changes are at their peaks, such as during puberty and menopause.

This terminal hair is darker and coarser than ordinary vellus hair (one that develops after birth, which is soft, and lighter) and is found on the chin, upper lip region among other areas. There are numerous underlying causes responsible for their growth.

According to Healthline, one undisputable cause is a hormonal imbalance of androgen. An increase in facial hair growth is in most cases caused by a hormonal imbalance.  An increase in the level of androgen hormone subsequently causes an increase in growth.  Growth in women resulting from hormonal imbalance is easily treatable although it may keep re-occurring if there is a deviation in synchronization of hormonal levels in the body.

Excessive facial hair in women

If its growth becomes excessive, it is advisable to consult your doctor, as this may be a red flag of other underlying issues. As noted in  Healthline, this is a condition referred to as hirsutism and is caused by

• polycystic ovarian syndrome which is caused by a benign cyst that alters the hormonal production leading to irregular menses and decreases in fertility.
• adrenal gland disorders such as Cushing’s disease, adrenal cancers or tumors which cause hormonal imbalance.
• taking certain types of medications such as hair growth stimulants, immuno-depressants used prior to organ transplants and prescription medication for high blood pressure.
• Genetics plays a big role in causing hirsutism, including excessive facial hair growth in women. Our family heritage is another latent cause for this condition. This basically means hair growth on the face in women or hirsutism is hereditary, hence if these conditions are predominantly common in your family then it is more likely than not, that chances you will get it are very high.

Diagnosis

Understanding the texture of the facial hair is an ultimate guide to determine the seriousness of the growth in women. The texture is a clear indicator of whether there are other underlying causes. This can easily be diagnosed by a doctor in order to get the best solution.

It is highly advisable to seek medical consultation in order to determine the specific cause. The medical physician will require a detailed medical history illustrating all the medications you might have used in order to make a diagnostic in addition to a blood test to determine the hormonal levels in your system.

Treatments

Thanks to the evolution of technological and scientific research, hair removal techniques are increasing by the minute. Depending on the potency of the treatment you are looking for there are various methods to choose from ranging from easy fixes to more permanent solutions.

Quick removal

Quick facial hair removal methods involve using easily available tools such as tweezers, scissors, bleaching creams, depilatory creams or lotions and waxing. As noted by hormone help NY, use these home remedies come with their own side effects as discussed below;

• prolonged use of tweezers could cause the skin to become rough and sometimes could injure the skin since hair is plucked out.
• On the other hand, using scissors gives very short-lived results.
• Bleaching is basically dying them the same color as your skin to in order to conceal them.
• Use of depilatory creams and lotions is also an effective quick fix. However, it is highly recommended that you follow the instructions properly so as to get the best results and avoid chemical burns. These creams and lotions basically melt it but are only effective for a few days.
• Waxing is also another effective home remedy for tackling facial hair in women that last for weeks. However, it is a very painful method which can potentially result in the development of ingrown hair.

Permanent facial hair removal in women

They have been more than a nuisance, you can opt to use more permanent methods such as laser, electrolysis, use of prescription creams or lotion, and hormone management.

• If your increase in hair growth is due to other factors such as hormonal imbalance or underlying causes of hirsutism, your doctor may put you on hormone management treatment as noted in Healthline. This will include the use of oral contraceptives combined with other drugs prescribed by a physician which aim to revert hormone levels to normalcy.
• Electrolysis is another permanent hair removal method that works by destroying cells responsible for its growth and is the only permanent removal technique that is FDA approved as noted by Wikihow. There are three types of electrolysis procedures, which are thermolysis, blend and galvanic. The type of electrolysis procedure chosen by an electrolysis professional will depend on your skin tone.
• According to women’s health network, laser hair removal is a permanent reduction procedure that works by destroying the root of the hair.
• Use of prescription cream is another effective removal technique which works the same way as depilatory creams. It is believed to have permanent results but when used in combination with other medications.

Summary

Facial hair in women is simply just frustrating and even embarrassing. Taking into consideration the underlying cause of supporting their growth is a fundamental step in figuring out the best treatment for the condition. If its texture is different than what you would consider natural it is advisable to seek your doctor’s opinion. Treatment procedures for hair removal range from simple home remedies to permanent more complex procedures that have permanent results.