Coping with excess hair
Living and coping with excess hair can be traumatic, embarrassing and knock your self confidence, leaving you with low self esteem issues. Dealing with acceptance of the problem can take ages to come to terms with. Talking to someone and understanding excess hair and getting help is the first step.
Excessive hair growth, also known as Hirsutism is caused by abnormally high levels of male hormones called androgens. Hirsutism is a condition characterised by the growth of thick, dark, coarse hair in areas where there either should be no hair or very fine soft hair. Most common areas of hair growth are on the face, chest and back. It is common in puberty when the sexual organs are maturing and the sex hormones are being produced in large amounts. However, hirsutism can start at any age.
Medical conditions that can cause Hirsutism:
- Hormonal imbalances in the body during the menopause and during pregnancy can cause abnormal hair growth.
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which can also cause acne can also cause abnormal hair growth.
- Hirsuitism can also be caused by cancer in the ovaries and adrenal glands. This is where excess androgens may be produced by the unpredictable dividing cells.
- Another medical condition that can cause excess hair growth is Cushing syndrome, where the adrenal glands produce an excess of a steroid called cortisol.
- Hirsutism can be an adverse effect, due to an intake of some medicines like steroids, danazol, etc. Unfortunately it is not possible to curb the growth of excess facial or body hair because of the hormonal changes in the body. However, it is important to consult your doctor to get the proper diagnosis of any underlying condition which will be easier to treat or control.
Finding the most effective treatment for the removal of excess hair is important, as there are a number of ways to remove or permanently reduce this. The most common hair removal methods include bleaching, shaving, depilatory creams, waxing or threading, however, these are only temporary measures and can leave the skin red and irritated, particularly if you have sensitive skin. Years ago I used a depilatory cream on my upper lip and it burned my skin, and I ended up with painful and unsightly ingrown hairs. Always follow the guidelines and patch test a small area if you have never used this method before.
By far, the most successful way to remove facial hair and excessive body hair is by laser hair removal. This virtually pain-free treatment works by blasting the hair and hair follicle with a concentrated beam of light, in parallel beams, using a single wavelength. This light is attracted to the dark pigment in the hair and works by damaging the hair itself and the follicle thus slowing down future regrowth considerably and in many cases can stop hair regrowth permanently. We recommend a course of between four and six treatments to see the best results, but as results differ from person to person our specialist therapists will assess your skin and hair types before putting together a bespoke hair removal plan. Laser hair removal is safe for use on all areas of the face and body.
With our years of experience in beauty industry you can rely on Beauty Haven to assist you with a bespoke package for laser hair removal. We offer free consultation and patch test, with a no obligation policy.
Of course laser hair removal is not suitable for everyone, depending on the colouring of your hair as laser does not work on fair, red, white or grey hair. Another option to consider is electrolysis which is a permanent hair removal system, using a small electric current that passes through a needle which is placed into the hair roots and destroys them. Electrolysis is a slower option than laser hair removal but it is permanent so definitely worth considering.
Which ever option you decide to go for you can be assured that all the staff at Beauty Haven are here to help you.