This kind of hair growth is more typical of men and can be a sign of overproduction of male hormones (androgens). Women normally have low levels of these hormones but they can lead to unwanted hair growth. The root cause of this type of hormone change is often impossible to diagnose precisely, although it tends to run in families. In general, this hirsutism is a harmless condition with only bothersome cosmetic consequences.
One common cause is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and women with PCOS and related hormone conditions also find they can have related problems with acne, menstrual periods as well as diabetes and trouble losing weight. If the symptoms start suddenly it can in rare cases be a sign of a tumour or cancer in the adrenal gland that triggers male hormones.
Hair removal with creams, shaving, bleaching and other home care
Unwanted facial hair is usually a long-term problem that can be treated with prescription medication applied as a topical cream such as Vaniqa. These kinds of treatments are clinically proven to work over an eight-week period by slowing down the growth of hair although they can’t stop the hair growth altogether or ‘cure’ the condition. For more information on how Vaniqa works you can read Dr Matt’s FAQs on Vaniqa.
There are some other tried and trusted methods you can use at home. Eating a well-balanced diet and losing weight can reduce hair growth. This is because overweight women are at increased risk of hormone imbalance.
It’s good to understand how this whole process and what you can do about it. The adrenal glands govern our stress response, by secreting hormones relative to our stress levels. They actually help control many hormonal cycles and functions in the body. When the adrenal glands are overworked, the body prepares for disaster, by storing fat and calories. So when we crave foods our blood sugar drops, sending a message from the brain to the adrenal glands to release cortisol. We often lose energy and experience an expanding waistline – as well as the side effects of hair growth - due to the effects of the hormone imbalance.
Bleaching or lightening hair can also make it less noticeable. Other temporary solutions for removing unwanted hair include shaving, plucking, waxing and home treatments with the new laser devices.
Contrary to popular belief, shaving does not cause more hair to grow, but the hair follicle itself may look thicker. Plucking and waxing are fairly safe and although they need to be done regularly, they’re not expensive. With plucking and waxing there is a small risk of scarring, swelling, and skin darkening.
Hair removal with laser devices and electrolysis
In terms of hardware, there are the new home-use laser devices on the market targeted at unwanted hair removal as well as other traditional skin blemishes such as veins or brown spots. These come with a health warning since they are intense light sources- Class 1C lasers - effectively scaled down versions of the powerful light pulse devices used by professional dermatologists to treat scarring, tattoos, skin tightening or other more serious conditions such as skin cancer.
Other home use devices (HUDs) for use on the skin include electromagnetic energy sources beyond those in the visible light and infra-red spectrum, such as microwaves, radio frequency, and high frequency focused ultrasound.
Early clinical data on the use of home laser devices shows at least temporary hair reduction and skin improvements, and several safety studies have shown most devices to be safe for consumer use. Various peer-reviewed studies from the US and UK show typical hair reduction rates in the range of 40% to 70% for these devices over one, three and six months.
When using a home laser device, you should remember that for darker skin types, there is a higher risk of scarring and severe keloid scars associated with light therapy in skin with high levels of melanin. Even if you have a suntan, you might be at risk of pigmentation changes or skin damage. There’s some evidence that hormonal changes during pregnancy can also affect skin pigmentation leading to higher risk.
This is because laser hair removal uses laser aimed at the dark colour (melanin) in the hairs. This method works best with women that have particularly dark hair and light skin that needs to be treated over a large area; it does not work on blond or red hair.
Warning on sudden hair growth
Women with PCOS and other hormone conditions that cause unwanted hair growth may also have problems with menstrual periods, trouble losing weight and diabetes. Rapid hair growth may also be accompanied by some other male features such as acne, deepening voice, increased muscle mass, and decreased breast size. If these symptoms start suddenly, you may have a tumour of the ovary or adrenal gland that releases male hormones and you should see a doctor.
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