Bearded ladies have long been fixtures in circuses and amusement park freak shows. But if a woman notices hairs sprouting from her previously smooth chin or a moustache growing under her very nose, she is probably not amused.
Unwelcome facial hair can be a harmless sign of aging. Although many women experience thinning hair or hair during menopause (see Hair Loss In Women, CLICK ), others may notice just the opposite as their estrogen production shows and becomes overshadowed by androgen. Both sexes have androgen and estrogen; it is the amount and proportion of each that dictates how much hair we have and where we have it.
Hair growing where it should not and excessive hair growth anywhere are typical signs of having too much androgen. Medically known as HIRSUTISM, it can occur in either sex. While men may not consider it much of a problem, it can be exceedingly embarrassing for women. Unwanted hair in women is often dark and coarse and sprouts in places where men typically have hair on the chin, chest, lip, thighs, ears, or face or around the nipple.
Women with hisutism may also have a deep voice, big muscles, small breasts, an enlarged clitoris, and irregular periods are all signs of an androgen-related hormone disorder called MASCULINIZATION.With or without these other signs, hirsutism can be an unfortunate reaction to hormone-containing drugs, such as birth control pills, steroids, fertility drugs, and testosterone. And not surprisingly, excess hair growth can be a side effect of minoxidil (rogaine), the antihypertensive drug, which is also commonly used as a hair loss treatment. Hirsutism can also be a clue to the overuse or abuse of anabolic steroids.
Excessive facial and body hair in women are often signs of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Also called Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD) and Stein-Leventhal Syndrome, it is one of the most under or misdiagnosed conditions in women of reproductive age. Other common signs include acne and being overweight. Women with PCOS which is caused by the overproduction of androgens have either irregular or missing periods. In fact, PCOS is a leading cause of infertility.
Hirsutism can signal another kind of hormonal disorder, known as Cushing's Syndrome or Hypercortisolism. Rather than being androgen-driven (as in PCOS), the excessive hair growth of cushing's is due to the adrenal glands producing too much of the stress hormone cortisol. Both women and men can have cushing's, and it usually strikes between the ages of 20 and 50. Women with Cushing's often have hair on their face, neck, chest, abdomen, and thighs. Other common signs include irregular or missing periods, acne and other skin problems, and weight gain around the midsection and upper back.
Excess hair growth can also signal the presence of ovarian cysts. These fluid-filled growths, which tend to occur during the childbearing years, are usually not cancerous. However, older women with ovarian cysts are at increased risk of developing ovarian cancer. In fact, facial hair in a post-menopausal woman may actually be a red flag for ovarian cancer.
The growing cycle for scalp hair is 2 to 6 year. For eyelashes and eyebrows, it is 1 to 6 months.
Have you ever wondered why your arm, armpit, chest, leg and pubic hairs never grow really long? It is because these hairs are in the growing phase for only a few months but remain in the resting phase for years.
Lanugo, the fine hair newborns have covering their bodies, is sometimes seen on adults. When it is, it may be a sign of the eating disorder anorexia nervosa.
Women with excess androgens from such conditions as PCOS or Cushing's syndrome are at increased risk for uterine cancer, insulin resistance, and high cholesterol levels. PCOS may also be an early warning sign of heart disease.
If you are plagued by excess hair and acne and are also overly tired and achy, you may have chronic hepatitis or another serious disorder.
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