Excessive Hair in Women May Signal Hormonal Problems

True beauty in a woman is internal. It is in how she thinks. Beauty does not reveal from the clothes she wears or the way she carries herself. Beauty can be seen from her eyes. Poets and lyricist sees it as a doorway to her heart i.e., the place where love resides. Nevertheless physical beauty is also important because that gives her self confidence. 

Excessive hair growth affects the appearance, particularly when the hair growth occurs on the face, forearms and other visible areas of the body.

Women normally produce low levels of male hormones (androgens). If however a body makes too much of this hormone, there may be unwanted hair growth.

Causes: 

In most cases, the exact cause is never identified. It tends to run in families. In general, hirsutism is a harmless condition. But many women find it bothersome, or even embarrassing.

A common cause of hirsutism is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Women with PCOS and other hormone conditions that cause unwanted hair growth may also have acne, problems with menstrual periods, trouble losing weight, and diabetes. If these symptoms start suddenly, you may have a tumor that releases male hormones.

Other, rare causes of unwanted hair growth may include:

- Tumor or cancer of the adrenal gland.

- Tumor or cancer of the ovary

- Cushing syndrome

- Congenital adrenal hyperplasia

- Hyperthecosis (a condition in which the ovaries produce too much male hormones).

- Use of certain medicines, including testosterone, danazol, anabolic steroids, glucocorticoids, cyclosporine, minoxidil, and phenytoin.

Rarely a woman with hirsutism will have normal levels of male hormones, and the specific cause of the unwanted hair growth cannot be identified.

Besides, excessive hair is also usually due to heredity or genetics. Hormonal changes and emotional stress can also cause superfluous hair growth. Mild to moderate conditions can be treated with home remedies. Excessive hair growth can be removed by natural remedies

Natural Remedies: 

Here are a few natural treatments that can be done at home to remove hair and slow down re- growth. These are effective if done regularly, say every week and require patience and pre testing. Test the mask on the back of the hand for example to check there is no adverse reaction before proceeding. 

a) Mix 30 grams of sugar with 10 ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice in 150 ml of water. Mix well and then apply it on the face in the direction of the hair growth. Leave it on for 15 minutes. Then rinse with cold water, rubbing the facial area gently. The granular sugar and lemon mixture will act as a gentle exfoliating agent and remove facial hair. The lemon juice will act as an astringent and natural anti septic. Repeat once every week to find an improvement.

b) Another remedy that can help in reducing hair growth on the face and remove unwanted hair is easy to make and use every week. Squeeze 10 ml lemon juice into 40 ml honey and prepare a mixture. Take a cotton swab and rub this mixture in the direction of the hair growth. Rinse after 15 minutes. Repeat twice a week for 2 weeks and then use it every week to find an improvement in the facial hair condition.

c) An easy to use facial mask to help remove unwanted hair is to squeeze 10 ml lemon juice into a cup of water (150ml). Add 30 grams of Gram flour into this mixture and mix thoroughly. Apply this yellow mixture on the face. Wait for 15 minutes and then scrub your face in the direction of the hair growth to remove unwanted hair.

d) Prepare a thick mixture of haldi, besan and curd. Apply it on the skin and leave it to dry. Rub off the mixture gently from your skin and wash off with water. 

e) Yogurt with flour and turmeric powder forms a great way to remove unwanted hair. 

Contributed by: Jyoti Mishra