All women, and men have facial and body hair. However, there is a difference between normal hair growth on your face, and abnormal. The main difference is that your normal facial hair is usually very fine and light in color. If it grows thick, coarse, and dark in color, it can become embarrassing, especially for women. At this point, you definitely want to find a way of removing it.
What is the main cause of excess facial hair?
There are a variety of reasons why women might have excess facial hair. However, one of the main causes is higher than normal levels of male hormones in the body. Hormone imbalance is the cause for many conditions in women, and excess hair is one of them as well.
What is a hormonal imbalance? We have to take a look at hormones to explain it. Male hormones are called androgens, and the most famous or well-known among them is testosterone. This hormone is involved in the development of deepening of the voice and production of sperm in men.
Now, all women produce some testosterone. However, higher than normal levels may increase the sex drive, but also affect the menstrual cycle and produce excess facial and body hair.
Why do women sometimes have higher than usual levels of male hormones? The most common cause in premenopausal women is polycystic ovary syndrome, which is a common condition. It causes cysts to grow around the edge of the ovaries. In addition to excess hair growth, polycystic ovary syndrome can also cause weight gain, irregular periods, acne, and other conditions.
Women that have gone through menopause, usually have higher levels of male hormones just because of the menopause. Hormone imbalance is common in women going through menopause as the body adjusts its levels of hormones. In some cases, you might be left with an unusually high amount of testosterone.
Are there other causes?
- Medications, for example, minoxidil (taken for high blood pressure), and others like anabolic steroids, cyclosporine, and testosterone when taken due to testosterone deficiency
- Being overweight or obese
- Ovarian tumor
- Adrenal gland disorders, including adrenal cancer, adrenal tumors, Cushing’s disease, or congenital adrenal hyperplasia (the last one is a hereditary condition affecting adrenal glands that produce sex hormones)
How can you treat excess facial hair?
You can find many best facial hair removal products on the market. It is just a matter of choice which method you want to try. Here is a quick breakdown of all the methods you can use to remove facial hair.
- Shaving – a quick and easy to do method, but one that allows hair to regrowth rather quickly. You might end up shaving every three or four days
- Waxing – more effective facial removal method if done regularly. However, the downside is that it is more painful, and can cause redness
- Bleaching – if you want to lighten your dark hairs and make them less noticeable
- Laser hair removal – a method in which powerful beams of light are used to destroy hair. One of the most popular permanent hair removal methods, as the results can last up to six months
- Hair removal creams, many of which can be bought over the counter, and reduce hair growth by affecting enzymes in the hair follicle
- Electrolysis – method in which electricity is used to destroy hair cells and remove hair permanently. Requires many treatments over a long period of time
What is normal and what it is not?
When it comes to excessive body hair, sometimes it can be challenging to make a difference in what it is normal and what it is not. Women have fine hair all over the body, including the face. Now, some women might notice thicker and darker hair on the stomach, chin, and chest.
According to a study in 2011, you can easily determine whether you have excess hair on your body. You have to look at hair growth on the chin, upper abdomen, and lower abdomen. Each of the areas is given a score of 0 to 4. Here is the scores breakdown:
- No hair growth – 0
- Fine hair growth or a few stray hairs – 1
- Thicker, and more consistent hair growth – 2
- Very thick, consistent hair growth – 3
- Male pattern hair growth – 4
After that, you have to collect the score, and if it is greater than 8, it means you have excessive hair growth on your body.
What is the outlook for unwanted hair?
You have to remember that taking care of unwanted and excessive hair on your body, including the face is a long-term challenge. Women usually respond well to treatment if the cause is a hormonal imbalance. However, the hair can grow back if hormones go out of sync again.
Depending on the cause of hair growth and treatment, in some cases, it may become a lifelong commitment. You will have to be wary of your hormones and other causes of excess facial hair.
Choosing only five natural wonders for travelers to visit isn’t easy, for there are many contenders. A quick decision was to avoid usual suspects like the Grand Canyon that everybody has heard of. Another was to choose places that were reasonably accessible to the average person or family. As impressive as the Matterhorn is, only a handful of people can climb and appreciate it. The natural wonders below, by contrast, are relatively easy to reach and have facilities for tourists.
Uyuni Salt Flats
At 4086 square miles (10,582 square kilometers), the Uyuni salts flats in South America are the world’s largest salt flats. They are part of Bolivia’s Altiplano, which is a high plateau located in the Andes. The salt forms raised polygonal patterns on the ground that create an otherworldly effect and allow photographers to play around with field depth and perspective.
The salt flats are also home to the world’s first salt hotel, which is called the Palacio de Sal or “Palace of Salt.” The first hotel was built in the 1990s and was eventually replaced by a new hotel in 2007. The hotel is indeed built out of salt blocks, as is some of the furniture.
The Sundarbans
The Sundarbans, located in Bangladesh and India, is the largest tidal mangrove forest in the world. It is formed by the confluence by the confluence of three rivers in the Bay of Bengal. It is also home to one the world’s largest Bengal tiger reserves. The Sundarbans is home to 260 bird species as well as the Indian python and estuarine crocodile, both of which are threatened.
Uluru
It is the centerpiece of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in Australia’s Northern Territory. Visitors may explore the base, take camel tours, or hear stories about the Dreamtime from Anangu or Aboriginal guides, who consider Uluru an important part of their culture.
Masurian Lake District
Poland’s Masurian Lake District, which is about a three-hour drive from Warsaw, boasts over 2,000 lakes. It is also known for its dense forests, resort towns, and many outdoor activities. Visitors can go fishing or sailing on any of the bigger lakes. They can cycle or hike through the forests or kayak along the Krutynia River. World War II buffs may want to visit the Wolf’s Lair, which had been Hitler’s military headquarters for part of World War II.
Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls is the longest waterfall in the world; it is over a kilometer or 2/3 of a mile long. It is located on the Zambezi River, which borders Zambia and Zimbabwe. Two national parks, the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park and the Victoria Falls National Park, are located on either side of the river.
“Mosi-oa-Tunya” is an African name for the waterfall and means “the smoke that roars;” Victoria Falls can be heard from nearly 25 miles or 40 kilometers away!
