The challenges of excessive body and facial hair
Accepting the transmission from puberty can be a little difficult. Whilst not one of the major issues to contend with, one of the annoyances for young women is often contending with the growth of body hair. Hairy legs, for example, are not conducive to wearing pretty summer dresses and as for that teeny weeny bikini….! Dealing with body hair removal is just one of the aspects of adolescence, but for most people, it doesn’t create too much of a problem. Unfortunately, for some women, the challenges of excessive body and facial hair are much more extreme, particularly as they get older.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the causes of excessive body and facial hair and some of the treatment options
There can be a fine line between vanity and dealing with something that has a big impact on one’s confidence which, in turn, can cause mental health issues: excessive body and facial often falls into the latter category.
Most women get more hair on their face and body as the age, but this is normally quite fine. Excessive body and facial hair which is thick and dark is called hirsutism. As this can sometimes be caused by a medical condition, the NHS recommends you see a doctor if hirsutism is a problem for you.
Although there is sometimes no obvious cause, excessive body and facial hair is often a result of a change in hormone levels which can be a sign of, or lead to, certain health conditions. A GP will often suggest a blood test to measure hormone levels to try and ascertain the cause of hirsutism. Two common causes of changes in hormone levels that you may be able to address yourself are:
- Being overweight
- Using anabolic steroids to increase muscle mass and increase athletic performance
Other causes of hirsutism:
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome which is one of the most common causes
- Certain medications
- Other hormonal conditions such as Cushing’s syndrome and acromegaly.
Notwithstanding that if you have excessive body and facial hair it is advisable to see your doctor, it is important to find the most effective treatments to get rid of unwanted hair. Common methods of hair removal such as shaving, waxing, plucking and creams become ineffective and/or can cause rashes and sometimes even scaring. But for many people, one of the best options is laser hair removal. Although the initial cost of the treatment will be more than other hair removal options, the results are invariably much more effective and longer-lasting.
There are clinics that specialise in laser hair removal across the UK but do ensure you are using a reputable company that offers a free consultation.
Laser hair removal treatment can boost your self-confidence as well as your body image with the advanced technology that is involved in it. With laser treatment, your unwanted body hair is removed from the roots, and so you are free from ingrown hairs, bumps, immediate hair re-growth, scars, reddishness, etc.
Once you use laser treatment, you will notice hair reduction in those areas you desire to be treated and further hair loss once after you undergo around four to eight laser sessions in proper intervals. Laser hair removal can be effective in permanently removing 80-90% of hair regrowth as the hair follicle is removed. Lasers can be used anywhere on your body as it is safe and can remove all your unwanted hair in precision and perfection. The included cooling technique ensures that the process is gentle and painless.
Laser photo by Polina Tankilevitch from Pexels