Before becoming the wolf of no street on hive, people used to call me wolverine and some others even called me a gorilla. I've had my fair share of being the brunt of jokes but I've always been a hard shell so stuff like that don't get to me. I always thought people were plain stupid for making fun of my hair. I mean, it's hair, it's natural, I didn't put it there, so why is it supposed to be funny?
I have a hairline that sits close to my eyebrows, an overreaching nape, a head full of hair, and very noticeable sideburns that seems to be a fetish for some (people can be weird). I appreciate the appreciation but it's kind of weird being looked at like some kind of specimen you know.
I take after my father in the hair department so I never really tagged my case as hirsutism for a long time but then I also have hormonal spikes that have me using hair removal cream on my chin once in a while.
Recently, I saw a video of a girl with a serious case of hirsutism trending and there were a lot of disgusting comments under the video. It's 2022 so I'm really baffled adults refuse to be educated but would rather have vile opinions on biological occurrences.
What is Hirsutism?
A very simple and straightforward definition of hirsutism as written in this article on familydoctor.co is,
Hirsutism in women is the growth of hair in a typical male distribution. This hair may grow on the chin, upper lip, side of the face, breasts, stomach and thighs. The growth of thick, dark hair in these places may be accepted as normal by some cultures. But in others it can cause a great deal of distress for the woman.
Cause of Hirsutism
A lot of people have basic knowledge of sex hormones but many do not know that males also have minute quantity of female sex hormone, and females, a minute quantity of male hormone. What causes women to have a male pattern hair growth is an excess of androgens (testosterone) in their system.
When testosterone is higher than normal, it is likely that a woman will experience hirsutism. It can happen to both young and old and for menopausal women, it is not a surprising occurrence.
Types of Hirsutism
It is common amongst women and ranges from mild to severe. I consider mine a very mild case and I've come across a lot of women with severe hirsutism.
There are women who do not have an hormonal imbalance or who do not have related cases like polycystic ovarian syndrome or adrenal disorders, yet, they are hirsute. In this case, the cause is unknown and this type is called idiopathic hirsutism.
Diagnosis & Treatment of Hirsutism
The symptom of hirsutism is quite obvious and announces itself. As always, I'd advise you to visit a doctor if you're bothered by it, especially if it looks severe. A blood test would be done to check your hormones level and your doctor would advise you better based on your results.
Managing Excess Hair
As mentioned earlier, it is important to check your hormone levels in order to know the right approach in treating imbalances. Your doctor is in the best position to prescribe drugs that would regulate your hormones and alleviate your symptoms.
If the excess hair is a bother, there are several hair removal processes you can try out that might work for you but I personally do not recommend shaving with regular blades.
I think the most draining part of hirsutism is not in the management but with public reaction. Most times, women who have it had it from teenage years and are used it but people always want to point it out like the person has no idea. The worse thing you can do is offer unsolicited advice for what you do not know about.
To everyone dealing with hirsutism, I hope you're doing okay today and you're not defined by this condition. Remember, go get that hormonal profile test if you haven't!
Thanks for reading!
REFERENCES
https://www.familydoctor.co.nz/categories/skin-problems/hirsutism-excess-body-hair-a-patients-guide/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14523-excessive-hair-growth-hirsutism
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