|
|
|
ne of the unhappiest women I know is a young lady with an excess amount of dark hair on her upper lip, her chin, and her chest. She is not alone. There are thousands of young women with the same cosmetic problem: superfluous hair – hair that doesn’t look sporty in the locker room; hair where nobody wants it.
Exactly what do we mean by excess hair? Not what most people believe. Excess hair does not mean an increase in the number of hairs. Everyone is born with a fixed number of hairs on his or her body. This is genetically determined (inherited).
There are two types of excess hair: one, hirsutism, is the growth of excess hair in the areas of the skin, such as the face and chest, that are reserved for male hair growth. (See below.) Hypertrichosis, on the other hand, is a disorder where unwanted hair is more or less generalized in distribution. (Hypertrichosis, by the way, also occurs in men.)
Hair grows on every portion of the skin except the palms and soles and a few other small areas. Most of these hairs are of the “peach-fuzz” variety (vellus hairs). Others are of the terminal variety – the long, thicker hairs of the scalp (Lady Godiva and Rapunzel), the chest (mostly men), and the pubic region.
Excess hairiness results from the vellus hairs becoming longer, darker, and thicker in areas where one expects to have only peach-fuzz.
While excess hair may be due to many factors, for some groups of people it is the normal state of affairs. People from Southern Europe and Middle-Eastern cultures are much hairier than those from Northern Europe and Scandinavian countries; white people are hairier than black people; and Asians and Native Americans are the least hairy of all.
Above and beyond this normal, constitutional hairy excess, there are those women who exhibit a far greater increase in the length and thickness of hair in certain areas which are usually reserved for the “peach-fuzz” variety: the upper lip, the chin, the sides of the face, the areas around the nipples, and the portion of the abdomen extending from the pubic region to the belly-button. (These are the areas normally associated with the male pattern hair growth.) This type of superfluous hair – hirsutism – can be especially embarrassing to the young and otherwise confident woman – one of those “thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to.”
The causes of excess hair are many and varied. For those with a moderate degree of hairiness, the factors involved may be merely a part of normal growth and development.
The most common cause of excess hair growth in females is the aging process. Along about the time of menopause, women become deficient in the production of the female hormone estrogen. The decrease of this hormone gives rise to a relative increase in the male-type hormone (androgen), which is responsible for the slow, relentless proliferation of thick, dark hairs appearing on the upper lip, chin, and cheeks. And, at the same time, the beginning of the steady thinning of the scalp hair. These two processes seem to go hand in hand: more hair on the body, less on the scalp.
Stress and tension can also play a role in excess hair growth. The hair follicles are under the influence of various hormones and chemicals produced by the body. Emotional stress and tension often lead to a disturbance in the delicate balance of these hormones which, in turn, can result in a stimulation of the hair follicle leading to excess hair – not, however, on the head. These hormonal imbalances also can arise in connection with tumors and cysts of the ovaries, diseases of the adrenal glands, and abnormal functioning and tumors of other hormone- secreting glands, such as the thyroid or pituitary.
In addition, various drugs and medications can occasionally produce hypertrichosis when taken over a period of time. These include drugs for epilepsy (Dilantin), cortisone-like drugs, and a host of others.
Treatment For Excess Hair
Women who have excessive hair – on the body or the face – can suffer deep embarrassment. It isn’t a problem you get rid of by saying “presto,” but there are ways of dealing with the problem.
A normal woman (that is, one who has no hormonal disease or disturbance) can conceal or remove excess hair in a number of ways: bleaching, shaving, plucking with tweezers, depilatory creams and lotions, waxes, abrasive applicators, and electrolysis. All have their drawbacks and all, except electrolysis, are temporary measures.
Whether you will use any (or all) of the methods described below will depend upon the area (or areas) you intend to treat, your skin type, your tolerance to pain, your dexterity, your free time, and your pocketbook.
Bleaching: Bleaching with commercially available products can conceal excessive, fine, fuzzy hair growth on the upper lip and forearms. It is most effective for small amounts of unwanted hair.
When done properly, bleaching is simple, safe, and painless. Repeated use of bleaching agents, however, can damage the hair shaft and cause temporary breakage. It can also irritate the skin. If you do use a bleach and develop a rash, try a different product.
Shaving: There is a popular myth that claims that if you shave or cut your hair, it will grow back faster, thicker, coarser, and darker. Don’t believe it. There is no scientific evidence to support this old wives’ tale. (If it were true, there would be very few bald men!)
The portion of hair emerging from the surface of the skin is nonliving – a dead protein thread. Cutting or shaving cannot influence the growing portion of your hair – the root – that occupies the hair follicle beneath the surface of the skin. Shaving is, however, a temporary measure and one must repeat it fairly often to avoid the stubbly feel and the “5 o’clock shadow” look.
If you shave with a safety razor, I recommend a clean, sharp, single-track blade. (Avoid using an old, ragged blade.) For a good shave, wet the hair thoroughly for at least two minutes with a lather shave cream that helps prevent evaporation. Do not shave too closely, as this practice can lead to ingrown hairs. And contrary to what you may have been taught, it is advisable to shave with the grain, not against it. This will also prevent ingrown hairs and subsequent infection.
If you use an electric shaver, try a preshave lotion that helps remove oil from the hair. You’ll find that shaving is easier, and you’ll be less likely to nick the skin.
Plucking (Tweezing): Plucking out hairs with tweezers is a popular and effective, although somewhat painful, way to remove temporarily scattered hairs on the face, chest, and eyebrows. Because of the discomfort and irritation, you should reserve this method for small areas of excess hair.
Plucking has no adverse side effects and, like other methods of temporary hair removal, will not cause the hairs to grow faster, coarser, or darker. Since the hair is removed at the root, it may grow back slower than hair that has been shaved off. Constant and repeated tweezing in the same area, however, can cause tiny, pitted scars.
When using the plucking method, make sure the skin and the tweezers are scrupulously clean to avoid infection. Also, do not pluck hairs from moles, warts, or other tumors. This can cause disagreeable and dangerous side effects: bleeding, infection, and change in the type of cell growth.
Hint: to minimize any pain, apply an ice cube to the area just before plucking.
Chemical Depilatories: Available in creams, liquids, and foams, these products weaken the chemical bonds of the hairs, causing them to break off or dissolve just below the surface of the skin. This is one of the best, easiest, and most popular methods for temporary removal of unwanted hair on the arms, legs, and underarm areas.
One word of caution: do not use these products on broken or abraded skin. It is also wise not to use them on very delicate areas, such as along the “bikini line” of the thighs or on the skin of the breasts.
The first time you use a chemical depilatory, try it on a “test” area first to make sure your skin isn’t unusually sensitive to it. Then wash and thoroughly dry the area to be depilated. Apply the chemical and leave it on for a specific length of time – usually 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the directions given by the manufacturer. (If you leave it on longer than recommended, it can severely irritate your skin.) Then rinse the area thoroughly with clear, lukewarm water, using a washcloth if necessary, and pat dry. You can then apply a soothing, emollient cream or lotion because the chemical may dry out your skin.
The main advantage of chemical depilatories is that they are painless. They also break off hairs below the surface of the skin, so that regrowth is relatively slow and the hairs grow back soft, not stubbly.
Waxing: One of the oldest and least popular methods of temporary hair removal is molten wax. Hot, melted wax is poured onto the skin, left to cool and solidify, and then rapidly stripped off. The hairs that are embedded in the wax are plucked out as the wax is removed.
This type of hair removal is longer lasting than some of the other methods described. It takes about four to six weeks for waxed hair to grow back. However, there is always some degree of pain and skin irritation. Also, you cannot repeat this type of treatment until the hairs have grown out and are long enough to become embedded in the wax.
Abrasives: Pumice stones have been used for centuries to “wear off” excess hair. Although simple and inexpensive, this method of hair removal is rather tedious and uncomfortable and, therefore, not suitable for large areas.
Electrolysis: There is only one safe way to remove excess hair permanently: destroying the hair root with an electric current. This is called electrolysis.
Performed by a physician or trained electrologist, electrolysis consists of inserting a fine platinum or steel wire needle into the opening of the hair follicle. An electric current, transmitted down the needle, permanently destroys the hair root. The loosened hairs are then removed with tweezers. Once you destroy the root, the hair can no longer grow back.
While several types of electric current may be used, the basic procedure is the same. The results will depend upon the skill of the operator. Even in the most competent hands, however, electrolysis is a long, expensive, and tedious process. It is also somewhat painful, particularly on areas other than the face.
Electrolysis is most effective for the coarse, darker hairs, not the fine, “peach-fuzz,” lanugo-type hairs. It has no effect on the cause of excessive hair growth; all it can do is destroy the existing hair.
Electrolysis is not 100 percent effective, and repeated treatments are often necessary to destroy successfully all the unwanted hairs. There are several reasons for this. Some hair follicles are bent or crooked. The electrical current for the particular follicle may be insufficient (the higher the current, the greater the pain; therefore, the operator tries to “get away” with the smallest current that might do the job). Also, since the electrologist works below the surface of the skin, the insertion of the needle into the hair follicle is essentially a blind procedure and cannot be performed with absolute certainty. Another common occurrence is that the hair will come out, but the papilla (the hair root) will not be destroyed, resulting in the regrowth of that particular hair. Thus, depending upon the skill of the operator and the nature of the hair being treated, a single strand may have to be treated several times before it stops growing.
Coarse hairs may return three or four times, but these become finer at each regrowth, and eventually the root is so effectively destroyed that the hairs can no longer grow.
“Sittings” with the electrologist should be no longer than half an hour, during which time only a limited number of hairs (about fifty) should be removed. To avoid excessive irritation, those hairs lying close together should not be dealt with at the same time. Also, the skin and needles must be adequately sterilized to prevent infection.
In the hands of a competent, well-trained, and conscientious electrologist, the dangers and side effects are minimal. Occasionally, scarring and fine pits will develop in places formerly occupied by hairs. (One sees this more commonly on the upper lip, therefore it is best to avoid treatment on this area.) In addition, excessive pigmentation may develop, but this is rare and usually quickly disappears. Since it is impossible to predict the nature of scarring or healing in any given patient, the electrologist should try a small trial area first and check the results.
I do not recommend the small, battery-operated, do-it-yourself kits. It is virtually impossible for a person to insert a tiny needle into a hair follicle on his or her face – while looking in a mirror! And when improperly used, these self-treatments can lead to irreparable scarring.
If you are contemplating electrolysis, don’t expect too much. The average patient quickly tires of the experience and the cost. Because only a small percentage of hairs can be removed at one sitting, and because some regrowth of hair – even in the most skilled hands -- will always recur after electrolysis, it requires firm dedication on the part of you and the operator. A severe case of excess hair (hirsutism) may require years of treatment. But despite its limitations, in selected patients electrolysis is useful and successful.
Other than these physical and mechanical methods, there are some oral medications that seem to influence and control excessive hair growth:
These oral medications are still in the experimental stages. Your dermatologist can give you further information about them.
|
For further information about excess hair, log on to: www.aad.org 1-888-462-DERM x22 or www.familydoctor.org/handouts/210.html |
 |  |  |
|
|
|