Clive Anderson - AT THE DERMATOLOGIST HAIR - HOW to grow it and stop it growing, has become a multi-billion dollar industry. Hairy body parts have historically been defined as masculine and unappealing on the female. Consequently many, many women are attracted to services that promise smooth, silky skin free of unsightly, excessive hair.
Hirsutism and hypertrichosis are the medical terms for excess body or facial hair in women. They are important cosmetic conditions often causing severe distress. Hirsutism is a sign of increased androgen action on the hair follicles either as a result of increased levels of the hormone in the body or increased sensitivity to the normal levels of hormone in the body. This is an important point, as excessive hair growth in women does not always mean that she has too much male hormones. Often it may be that her hair follicles are more sensitive to the small amounts normally present in the female.
Excessive hair growth that is due to excessive androgen hormone production is often accompanied by other abnormalities such as acne, infertility, menstrual irregularities and hypertension. For most women the tendency toward excessive hair growth is inherited. In this case the excess hair usually occurs shortly after puberty (but can begin at any age) and slowly progresses. The menses are normal and there are normal male hormone levels.
Most women gradually develop more facial and body hair with age. Between 25 and 85 per cent of women remove 'unwanted facial and body hair' using a variety of methods:
Shaving is by far the most common method of hair removal for both men and women. A clean razor and a sharp blade are essential for a safe shave. Skin should not be shaved when dry, wet hair is softer and easier to cut. There is no evidence that shaving changes the texture, colour or rate of growth of the hair. Shaving too closely may cause skin irritation and the hair, as it regrows, can pierce the skin and cause bumps.
Depilatories act as
chemical razor blades. They contain a highly-alkaline chemical, usually calcium thioglycolate, that dissolves the hair causing it to separate easily from the skin. The chemical can cause serious irritation of the skin, even burns, if left on too long. It is therefore very important to follow the instructions on the packet carefully. Select the formulation carefully for the intended area of use. Some products are safe for sensitive areas such as the bikini line, underarm and face while others are for use in less sensitive areas such as the legs.
Tweezing and waxing pluck the hairs from below the surface of the skin. Because the hair is plucked at the root, new growth is often not visible for several weeks. These hair removal methods are quick and inexpensive but painful. Unfortunately, many women find that the skin becomes dark and roughened in the areas so treated. This may be due to skin irritation caused by the trauma done to the hair follicle by these traumatic processes. Frequently, the hair, when it regrows, also irritates the skin and bumps develop.
Threading is a form of tweezing using a thread to grab the hairs. In some Asian countries the thread is applied using the tongue.
Electric epilators come in two types the needle epilator and the tweezers epilator. Needle epilators are used in electrolysis. This technique should result in destruction of the hair follicle and eventual permanent hair removal. Often however, especially in black skin, because the follicles are curved, the
needle misses the mark or insufficient electricity is delivered to the root to destroy it.
Tweezer epilators also use electrical current to remove hair. The tweezers grasp the hair close to the skin; an applied current travels down the shaft to the root. These methods are supposed to result in permanent hair removal as the growth portion of the hair follicle is destroyed. If you do not notice that the hair begins to be less and less with each growth cycle (two to four months) then the process is not working. You should expect to start seeing results in about six months.
Laser hair removal uses light energy
to destroy the follicles. The pigment in the
follicles absorbs the light energy. This results in some difficulties with darker skin as the melanin in the skin may also be targeted
causing irritation of the skin. Newer lasers
prevent this by using cooling devices to
protect the surrounding skin.
Cosmetic hair removal comes in many forms and it is possible to find a way to safely and effectively get rid of unwanted hairs.
Dr. Clive Anderson is a Dermatologist and Venereologist.
