How to get rid of hirsutism
One in twenty women suffer from hirsuitism. Hirsuitism is caused when there is excessive hair growth on the face and parts of the body, such as the chest, stomach, chin, breasts, upper lip, face and back. This unwanted hair is a major concern to women.
There could be many reasons for unwanted hair growth – congenital cause, tumors on the ovaries/increased release of androgens (male hormones) – hormone imbalance, pregnancy, irregular menses and mental tensions. Hirsutism is a cosmetic concern; however, when accompanied by masculinity symptoms, it is a problem. Other causes include polycystic ovary syndrome, Cushing’s disease, medicinal side-effects, excess weight and infertility. If hair follicles are sensitive to male hormones, that can also cause hirsutism in women.
Women who suffer from hirsutism show signs of high levels of male hormones, have irregular menstrual periods, acne, a deep voice, and extra muscle mass. The unwanted hair grows mostly on the chin, above the upper lip, on the forehead, and around the nipples. They also have dark or thick hair on their chest, abdomen, face and back. This hair is different from hair others have on their chin, breasts, upper lips, stomach or the fine hair on their body. The darker the hair is, the more visible it is. But yet this condition is very common, especially for those with dark hair.
Women from some ethnic groups do tend to have excess body hair than women of other ethnic groups. That is not considered hirsutism.
Mild hirsutism is part of a normal growth process, and a little abnormal hair may crop up in teenaged girls when they reach puberty or in women when they suffer from menopause.
Certain medications can cause hirsutism – such as birth control pills, hormones and anabolic steroids.
If a woman is suffering from hirsutism and she is overweight, it is best for her to lose weight to get rid of hirsutism. Once she starts to lose weight, hormone production in her body, which is responsible for increased hair growth, also reduces.
The quickest way to remove excess hair is to shave it off. It is safe and effective. Shaving the face can irritate the skin, so you may have to apply a 1% hydrocortisone cream to help. The down-side to this is that razor-shaving hardens the root of the hair and there is a rapid re-growth.
A depilatory (a cream that removes hair) is also ideal. Once again, these creams can irritate the skin so it’s best to test the skin sensitiveness by applying a little cream on the inside of the wrist. If there is no bad reaction after a day, the depilatory can be used freely. Using a depilatory leaves no stubble! The good thing about these creams is that they dissolve the hair below the skin’s surface leaving the skin smooth and will last for three to five days. Whether you choose a depilatory that is a lotion, cream, mousse, gel or foam, you will see good results. Read the directions on the product container and use one recommended for the face. You can also use these on your legs and they say also under your arms. I don’t recommend using it under your arms because that skin is very delicate and sensitive. Never use anywhere around the eye area – the chemicals are very strong.
There are bleaching pastes that can be used as directed to control hirsutism. Bleaching products may irritate the skin, but the process will make hair less conspicuous. Follow the directions on the product container.
Waxing is a useful method for removing unwanted hair. There is hot wax and cold wax methods. Since waxing plucks the hair from deep beneath the skin’s surface it doesn’t have to be done as often as shaving or using a depilatory. Just spread a thin layer of wax over the skin; press a cloth or paper strip over the wax and rip off quickly. The hair is removed for a longer period of time and the waxed hair grows back finer. Those that have mild facial hair will find that waxing will control the situation without causing stubble.
For the upper lip there are wax strips that can be used. Clean the area with witch hazel to remove any grease; place the wax strip over and rip!
Tweezing or plucking is a good method to use on your eyebrows. Tweezing sparse hairs on the chin, around the nipple, and upper lip is a quick and short term remedy. It is only a temporary solution and will stimulate the hair follicles to grow stronger hair. If tweezing hairs from your nipple, pluck them after you shower when your pores are open and it will be less painful. The downside is the fact that plucking the hair out by the root can cause infection in the hair shaft and curling of the hair in the skin causing ingrown hairs. If tweezing your face, apply cold cream to soften the roots of the hair.
IPL is intense pulsed light used for hair removal. Multiple-light wave lengths are pulsed onto the skin through quartz crystal. Pigment in the hair covers the light to heat and conducts it to the follicles to destroy growth cells. Even though one session can reduce hair growth by 45% compared to only 23% with laser, fair hair, graying hair and white hair needs more sessions. IPL works best on darker hairs.
Laser hair removal uses a laser light that damage hair follicles, forcing the unwanted hair to fall out. It can take multiple sessions over a number of weeks and there is no guarantee that the results will be permanent. It is very expensive and must be performed by a licensed practitioner. You may suffer from redness, darkening or lightening of the skin, and scarring with laser treatments.
Electrolysis is both expensive and time-consuming and you need to make sure that the person who does the electrolysis is qualified and licensed. The hair roots are weakened by passing electric currents through them stopping excess hair growth. The hair follicles are destroyed with the heat generated by an electrical current. With electrolysis there can be damage to the tissue around the follicle and can leave small scars or red marks.
There are medications that a doctor may prescribe. And anti-androgen will help to control the male hormones that cause hirsutism. It can take these medications three to six months to work. They will decrease the amount of new growth, but usually don’t change the amount of hair you already have. There is also a medicine made specifically to slow down the growth of facial hair. This prescription cream is applied to the affected skin and may begin to work in 4 to 8 weeks after you begin the treatment.
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Tags: excessive hair growth, hair removal, hirsutism, hormonal imbalance, unwanted hair growth
