Hirsutism involves excessive hair growth in women following male patterns. After years of dealing with it privately, I'm sharing my story openly. You've heard the term, but let's dive into what causes hirsutism and its emotional impact.
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It's not something I'm proud of, but opening up brings clarity. For years, I've ended my evenings plucking thick black hairs from my chin and upper lip with tweezers and tea in hand. They grow back stubbornly in the same spots, turning into an obsession. Once I feel them, they must go—or the irritation lingers.
People notice and ask if I've scratched myself. I brush it off with a laugh, hiding the truth about my beard-like growth. Putting this online feels vulnerable, but I know many women share this struggle. It affects us visibly and stirs deep insecurities. Sharing helps normalize it.
Since my second child, Mees—now one and a half—my hormones have been disrupted, impacting everything. My nails peel and break easily, acne has returned despite never being an issue before, I sweat profusely from my head, and coarse facial hairs sprout rapidly—not just fine down.
Tweezers can't keep up; I've switched to a razor for efficiency, despite myths about faster regrowth. Plucking 30 chin hairs nightly isn't sustainable.
Excessive hair growth means thicker, denser hairs in areas typically smooth or lightly vellus. Women have similar hair follicle counts to men, but patterns differ. Notably, about 80% of postmenopausal women experience it.
What's the difference?
With hirsutism, women develop dark, coarse hairs in male-pattern areas like the face, chest, back, thighs, and lower abdomen (e.g., from navel to pubic bone), where vellus hair is normal.
Hypertrichosis involves increased hair density beyond norms for age and ethnicity in areas that are usually somewhat hairy.
Causes vary: Familial hirsutism stems from heightened hair follicle sensitivity to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), derived from testosterone produced in women's ovaries. Hormonal hirsutism results from DHT overproduction. Medication-related cases often link to menopausal hormone therapies.
For me, confirmed hormonal disruption prompted hospital checks to rule out serious issues. Treatments include:
Temporary methods like shaving cause irritation and regrowth issues; epilation is tedious without permanence. Laser and IPL offer lasting results. Medications target root causes.
My doctor diagnosed hirsutism and referred me to a clinic for facial laser treatments. I'm thrilled—after several sessions over months, I'm ditching the tweezers for tea and TV on the couch!
