Celebrate the Journey!

  • Home
  • Wiser Body
  • Wiser Mind
  • Wiser Money
  • Wiser Living
  • Wiser Preneur
  • About Us
You are here: Home / Wiser Body / Hair – in all the wrong places

Hair – in all the wrong places

By Barbara Leave a Comment

Facial hair growth in women is something that many of us find concerning. Assuming that you are not genetically inclined to facial air (Mediterranean, Jewish and Eastern European ancestry) or have a family history of facial hair growth in women, it could be a number of things.

One of the most common is hormonal imbalance. Women have both estrogens and androgens (male hormones). As we age, the levels of both hormones naturally decline. However, the ratio between the differences declines and it can look as if we suddenly have more of the male hormones, and therefore stray hairs.

In addition, there are some medications that can stimulate the growth of stray, darker, coarser hair and include phenytoin, cyclosporine, anabolic steroids, combination medications with testosterone such as estratest, and minoxidil (used for high blood pressure as well as baldness in men).

Sometimes though, excessive facial/body hair can be a result of physical and medical issues. For example, polycystic ovarian syndrome and obesity (adipose tissue can produce androgens). Occasionally it can be related to adrenal tumors. In these cases one will see more than just the occasional stray hair on the face. If this is happening to you, see your health care provider.

So what can do you about it? Women have been looking for ways to permanently remove facial hair for years. However, there doesn’t seem to be an easy, fool-proof and permanent way to deal with facial hair.

Common treatments include: Makeup, Radio frequency, Hormones (estrogen and progesterone), Shaving, Waxing, Laser, Electrolysis and Vaniqua – a prescription cream. According to many dermatologists, electrolysis seems to be the only method for permanent removal. Vaniqua, which is relatively new in the past few years, does not seem to work for all women. I’m unsure at this time of its long term effectiveness, if you would need to reapply and for how long.

As with most things, there does not seem to be a one-size-fits-all solution to the problem of stray facial hair. You will most likely need to try various treatments and see what works for you. However, keep in mind if your facial hair seems excessive or you have concerns, please speak with your health care provider for further evaluation.

Filed Under: Wiser Body Tagged With: Hair

Wiser Living

joining a gym

Seven Reasons To Join A Gym

We all get older… every day. Am I stating the obvious here? Well, I’m about to go against an entire industry and what … Read More...

You're never too old

You’re Never Too Old To…

You may want to think twice before  you say "I'm too old for that!" It's certainly not what this 82-year-old must … Read More...

More Posts from this Category

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

Is It Aging Or What We Do While Getting Older?

For years both experts and lay-people believed that fractures, bone and muscle … [Read More...]

  • Seven Reasons To Join A Gym
  • You’re Never Too Old To…
  • Shocking: “The New Normal” For Some Baby Boomers

Article Archives

Pages

  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact Us

Resources

  • Advanced Directive Toolkit
  • Five Wishes
  • Growth House

Categories

Copyright © 2004-2017 OWW

Built on · Genesis Framework by StudioPress.com