How to Remove Excessive or Unwanted Hair in women
Source:nlm.nih.gov
The normal amount of body hair for women varies. Most of the time, a woman only has fine hair, or peach fuzz, above the lips and on the chin, chest, abdomen, or back. If you have coarse, dark hairs in these areas, the condition is called hirsutism. Such hair growth is more typical of men.
Causes
Women normally produce low levels of male hormones (androgens). If your body makes too much of this hormone, you may have unwanted hair growth.
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.
Home Care
Hirsutism is generally a long-term problem. There are a number of ways to remove or treat unwanted hair. Some treatment effects last longer than others.
- Weight loss in overweight women can reduce hair growth.
- Bleaching or lightening hair may make it less noticeable.
Temporary hair removal options include:
- Shaving does not cause more hair to grow, but the hair may look thicker.
- Plucking and waxing are fairly safe and are not expensive. However, they can be painful and there is a risk for scarring, swelling, and skin darkening.
- Chemicals may be used, but most have a bad odor.
Permanent hair removal options include:
Electrolysis uses electrical current to permanently damage individual hair follicles so they do not grow back. This method is expensive, and multiple treatments are needed. Swelling, scarring, and redness of the skin may occur.
Laser hair removal uses laser aimed at the dark color (melanin) in the hairs. This method is best if a very large area needs to be treated and only if the hair is particularly dark (does not work on blond or red hair).
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Call your health care provider if:
- The hair grows rapidly
- You also have male features such as acne, deepening voice, increased muscle mass, and decreased breast size
- You are concerned that medication may be worsening unwanted hair growth
What to Expect at Your Office Visit
Your health care provider will perform a physical examination. A pelvic exam may be done. You will be asked questions about your medical history and symptoms, including:
- Do other family members also have excessive amounts of hair?
- What medications are you taking?
- Have your periods been regular?
- Are you pregnant?
- Do you have increased muscle mass, acne, or decreased breast size?
- When did you first notice these symptoms?
Blood tests may be done, including:
- Testosterone
- Dihydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S)
- Luteinizing hormone (LH)
- Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
- Prolactin
- 17-hydroxyprogesterone
If a tumor is suspected, x-ray tests such as a CT scan or ultrasound may be recommended.
Medications or other treatments your doctor may prescribe include:
- Birth control pills. It may take several months to begin noticing a difference.
- Anti-androgen medications such as spironolactone may be tried if birth control pills do not work. There is a risk of birth defects if you become pregnant while taking these medicines.
- Laser hair removal or electrolysis
Alternative Names
Hypertrichosis; Hirsutism; Hair – excessive (women); Excessive hair in women; Hair – women – excessive or unwanted
References
Bulun SE. Physiology and pathology of the female reproductive axis. In: Kronenberg HM, Melmed S, Polonsky KS, Larsen PR, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 17.
Habif TP. Hair diseases. In: Habif TP, ed. Clinical Dermatology. 5th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby Elsevier; 2009:chap 24.
For Women Only: Best Options for Unwanted Hair Removal
Many women struggle with the issue of hair removal. Here’s a guide to help you find the method that’s best for you.
By Colette Bouchez, webmd
From peach-fuzz fringes to long, dark, or coarse growth, women have been doing battle with excess hair — and hair removal — for centuries.
For some, the problem is hereditary or related to ethnic heritage. For others, it can be caused by a medical condition such as polycystic ovaries or a hormone-secreting tumor, or even the result of hormonal changes linked to menopause.
Still other women are interested in hair removal for areas such as legs, underarms, or bikini area, where growth is normal but sometimes undesirable.
No matter the reason, there is no shortage of ways to cope.
To help you decide which method of hair removal might be best for you, WebMD consulted several experts in the field. They helped us prepare this guide to the eight most popular methods of hair removal for women.
Hair Removal Method No. 1: Laser/Pulsed Light
What It Does: One of the more popular ways to remove hair is via laser or pulsed light – energy that goes through the hair shaft down to the follicle, where it destroys the hair’s root.
“The hair does not immediately come out during a laser treatment. Instead, it weakens and falls out over time because we’ve blown away the root,” says dermatologist David Goldberg, MD, director of Skin and Laser Surgery of New York and New Jersey and the author of a medical textbook on laser hair removal.
Goldberg says the newest laser, called DUET, combines laser with a little bit of suction for even better results.
“It pulls the hair into the follicle, allowing the beam to penetrate deeper,” says Goldberg.
This means doctors can safely treat larger areas at one time and more comfortably for the patient, he says.
Best For : Laser hair removal can be done anywhere on the body. The best candidates are women with dark hair and light skin. Lasers won’t work on white hair, and they are much less effective on blond hair, which Goldberg says usually responds best to electrolysis.
While most lasers work on the skin of Hispanics, only one, called the Nd:YAG, is safe for black skin. All other hair removal lasers increase the risk of hyperpigmentation (dark spots), as well as burning and scarring, which can lead to the creation of keloids (scar tissue).
How Long It Takes : It usually requires 5-7 sessions, with a touch-up about once a year thereafter.
Cost : The cost runs between $150 and $500, or sometimes more depending on how many treatments are needed.
Hair Removal Method No. 2: Electrolysis
What It Is : The only method of hair removal that is permitted to be called “permanent,” electrolysis uses a tiny needle that slides down into the hair follicle until it reaches the cells responsible for hair growth.
“Electrolysis destroys the cells that cause the hair to grow. The hair will release and slide right out and it won’t grow back there again — it’s permanent removal,” says Patsy Kirby, executive director of the American Electrology Association in Bodega Bay, Calif.
Hair Removal Method No. 2: Electrolysis continued…
The process can be uncomfortable, but local anesthetic creams can help.
Best For : Like other forms of hair removal, it is safe to do electrolysis anywhere on the body, though Kirby says the most popular place for women is the face.
How Long It Takes : Though the system requires that the removal be done hair-by-hair, Kirby says it’s not as daunting a task as it might seem. “It can take up to 25 sessions, depending on how much you need removed, but each session may only be 5 or 10 minutes long,” says Kirby.
Cost: Costs run between $40 and $90 per treatment, with 10 to 25 treatments (or more) sometimes necessary for permanent, lasting results.
Potential Drawback : Electrolysis can cause tiny scars where the needle is inserted. Though for most people they heal unnoticed, for blacks it means an increased risk of hyperpigmentation and formation of keloids. Thus, it’s not recommended for this skin type.
Hair Removal Method No. 3: Vaniqa
What It Is: This topical prescription cream, also known as eflornithine 13.9%, works by blocking an enzyme that would otherwise stimulate hair growth. Without the enzyme, hair growth is retarded in that area, and eventually may stop.
Joel Schlessinger, MD, president of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery, says Vaniqa is not a hair remover, so it is best used in conjunction with other methods, particularly lasers.
“If you apply it after laser treatments as an adjunct, it can help retard and then stop hair growth,” says Schlessinger.
Other experts say treatment can also work on its own, but requires a patient commitment of 8 weeks to 6 months before full results are seen. Studies show that the longer the cream is used, the better results will be. Vaniqa is applied twice daily.
Best For : Vaniqa works best for facial hair growth on the upper lip, chin, and cheeks.
“Because of the cost, and difficulty and feasibility of applying it to large areas, it’s not recommended for hair removal in large areas of the body, such as the legs or arms,” says Schlessinger.
Schlessinger says it is, however, an effective way to remove white or non-pigmented hair, which does not respond to laser treatment.
Studies show Vaniqa is safe to use in combination with birth control pills and other hormone treatments when the cause of unwanted hair stems from reproductive problems such as polycystic ovaries. It is also safe for all ethnic groups and skin types.
Cost : Vaniqa costs between $80 and $225 per tube.
Hair Removal Method No. 4: Waxing
What It Is : It’s been around for centuries, but today’s waxes are far different than the sticky honey treatments of the past.
“Today we use a soy-based compound that does not stick to the skin, bonding only to the hair,” says waxing technician Michelle Serniuk of Beyond Day Spa at the Hackensack University Medical Center.
“Because it only sticks to hair, not skin, it produces a kindler, gentler waxing, with less damage and pain when the wax is removed,” says Serniuk.Best For : Waxing can remove hair anywhere on the body, including the upper lip, chin, eyebrows, arms and legs. A bikini wax removes hair that might show when you’re wearing a skimpy bathing suit bottom, while a Brazilian wax removes all hair from the genital area.
Cost: The cost of waxing runs from about $10 for an upper lip, to $70 for upper and lower legs or a Brazilian wax. The procedure must be repeated every few weeks.
Potential Drawback : Because soy waxing removes the entire hair — the root, bulb and shaft — Serniuk says it’s vital to use an antibacterial lotion afterwards. “Because the follicle is so open you need to take some precautions to prevent infection,” she says.
Waxing is best done in a spa or salon, but home kits are available. However, experts warn that it’s vital to do the procedure in hygienic conditions and to follow treatment with an antibacterial lotion. Done incorrectly, Surniak says, waxing can lead to a nasty skin infection.
Hair Removal Method No. 5: Shaving
What It Is: Whether done with an electric or straight razor, shaving is akin to cutting hair – only it does so ultra-close to the skin. Shaving does not remove hair at the root, nor does it disturb the follicle. That means the effects are temporary, lasting anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
Although the myth persists that shaving makes hair grow back coarser or more plentiful, dermatologist Bruce Katz, MD, says this isn’t so. In fact, as early as 1928, researcher Mildred Totter showed that shaving didn’t affect hair growth – a finding that has been echoed in several studies since.
Speaking at the American Academy of Dermatology’s 2005 annual meeting, Katz said that ways to minimize shaving problems include:
- Making sure hair is thoroughly wet first.
- Shaving in the direction the hair grows.
- Avoiding repeating strokes.
- Keeping skin relaxed while shaving.
Potential Drawback: If hair is coarse – particularly in the bikini area – shaving can cause ingrown hairs. Katz says this occurs when the cut hairs curl back into the skin instead of growing out. This can be especially problematic for black women, who are prone to infections caused by the ingrown hairs.
Hair Removal Method No. 6: Depilatories
What It Is: These creams and lotions use a chemical compound designed to dissolve the proteins that make up hair. Unlike shaving, which leaves sharp, hard, hair stubble just below the skin, depilatories leave a rounded, smoother edge – so stubble is minimized and regrowth appears to take longer. Still, treatments usually need to be repeated at least weekly, if not more often.
Best For : Best used for hair on the face, arms, and legs, many depilatories are not recommended for eyebrows or for use in the genital area.
Cost : Cost is between $5-$10 per tube or bottle.
Hair Removal Method No. 7: Tweezing
What It Is: Tweezing pulls hair out at the root. However, it does not affect the follicle, from which hair grows, so it’s only a matter of time before another one sprouts up.
“Hair grows in cycles, so the time in the cycle when you remove it determines in part how quickly another will take its place,” says Goldberg.
Unlike shaving, which allows hair to grow back the same size as the follicle, hair that is plucked grows back with a tapered end, meaning it is softer and less noticeable when it first comes in. Eventually, however, it will grow back to its normal thickness.
Best For : Tweezing is best used to remove hair on small areas of the face – such as the upper lip, chin, or eyebrows.
Hair Removal Method No. 8: Oral Contraceptives and Hormonal Treatments
What It Is: For women whose hair growth is hormone-related — most often caused by a condition known aspolycystic ovary syndrome — medications can help. The condition is known as hirsutism. Treatment includes drugs designed to reduce levels of androgens, the hormones linked to excess hair growth.
Medications commonly include birth control pills and/or anti-androgens, such as spironolactone, cyproterone acetate, and flutamide.
How to Remove Unwanted Body hair
Source: Pamf.org
I have never shaved my legs before, but the soft, curly red hair that prompted my family to start calling me hobbit-legs, helped me want to shave. So I decided to learn about thedifferent methods of hair removal.
I planned to first compare the various methods based on pain, cost, and effectiveness (how long the hair stayed gone). Then, I would research each independently, and finally, I would speak to the people who do the different procedures at salons and clinics.
However, I was so surprised by the interest that my friends showed in the article that I decided to actually try each of the methods.
Hair Removal Options
I decided to try seven different methods:
- Cold wax at home
- Warm wax at home
- Hot wax at a salon
- Electrolysis
- Laser hair reduction
- Shaving
- Hair removal cream (such as Nair)
I divided each of my legs into three or four different sections using a permanent marker (see photo at left) and planned to apply each of the methods to one section of my legs.
I figured this would give me a first-hand experience of the pain and cost, as well as allow me to compare how long it took for hair removed with each method to grow back.
The Treatment
To start my process, I called a salon, a laser treatment facility, and an electrologist. I waited about a day after leaving a message and received no response. Deciding it must have been the words I used in the message, I left a second message at each place.
I spoke to someone at a laser treatment place and someone at a salon, left my phone number and then waited about a week for a return call, but I never received one. Not one person called me back, which made me a little sad. I may be a teenager, but can’t they take me seriously?
Disappointed, I went through the yellow pages again, and found other places to call – including the Berman Skin Institute on Welch Road that specializes in laser hair reduction; Cindy Greene, an electrologist; and another waxing place. I left a message at each office.
The first to call me back was Cindy Greene, and I set up an appointment with her for the upcoming Friday afternoon. The next to call me back was the Berman Skin Institute. I also set up a time to do a consult with them.
The salon also called me back. However, they would not do the section of my leg reserved for the hot salon wax because they only treated whole legs. Two days later, we went to Longs and bought cold wax strips, hot wax, Nair, shaving cream, and a razor (my mom loves these experiments).
I got to the Berman Skin Institute at 10:15 a.m. and was given some paperwork to fill out. After, I was taken to a room with a round table. I spoke with a nurse named Annabel and asked her some questions about laser hair reduction.
She said that it was called reduction because the laser targets the dark pigments found in hair follicles, but doesn’t completely get rid of it. Even if the majority of the hair doesn’t come back, some new hair does grow, and so at least five treatments are necessary.
She said that she didn’t recommend laser hair reduction for anyone under 16; however, they had done the treatment on 14- and 15-year-olds teens before. Annabel also said that when you come in for laser treatments, you should have shaved the area you are treating because otherwise, the hair burns and could damage the skin.
They use two lasers: one for people with lighter skin and one for people with darker skin. Because the laser can hurt, they use a cream that numbs the skin. Even so, there can still be burning and possibly blistering. She treated a small portion of my leg (near my ankle). It felt a little like a rubber band was snapping against my skin every once in a while, it was not that painful overall.
Next, I went to the electrologist’s office, but I had to reschedule for another day, which I did. My mom and I stopped by another salon called NTT Skin (on Cambridge Avenue), and the lady there, Nellie, did a hot wax strip on my leg. It didn’t really hurt much, but I was shocked when she pulled the wax off because I didn’t expect it.
When I got home, my mom, little sister and I completed the different at-home processes to remove the hair on my legs. First we did the cold wax strips, which made me jump with every strip causing my little sister to laugh gleefully each time.
The strips also missed some hairs, so we had to redo several spots. It was pretty cheap, about $7, but you would need about 12 boxes to do both of your legs completely. Also, in the days that followed, I had ingrown hairs on this section of my leg. Ingrown hairs are little zit-like bumps that hurt.
The Nair is applied as foam from the can. I left the foam on my leg for about ten minutes and then wiped it off with a washcloth. The process is a little stinky, but effective. My leg was hairless. All of the hair had been removed from it, leaving the leg clean and smooth. Nair was painless, fairly easy to use, and inexpensive.
Then I shaved a part of my leg. Because my leg hair was long, the process took a long time. But when I finished, my legs were smooth. Because I used shaving cream and was careful, I didn’t cut my leg or get razor burn.
Razors and shaving cream can be either cheap or expensive, depending on what brand you use and where you purchase the items. In addition, shaving doesn’t last long, a few days at most, so if you want your legs to be smooth all the time, you would have to shave every day.
The at-home hot wax really hurt when I peeled it off, and a lot of the wax was left over. There was a lot of hair left behind and my legs were sticky. The wax was tough to get off and the process was a little painful. After we waxed my leg with the hot wax, it was red and hurt a lot. There were also a lot of red bumps that annoyed me.
The kit was about $10 and would have done both of my lower legs. Waxing is supposed to last a long time, so it might be worth it, but I couldn’t do it again because it really hurt. Also, in the places where my skin rubbed against other skin, I got ingrown hairs.
Finally, I went to Cindy Greene, an electrologist, and had roughly a circular inch on my leg done with two different methods: thermolysis and blend.
Thermolysis (short wave), is used on fine or blonde hair.Blend, which uses a combination of two currents and requires the person to be grounded or holding onto something, is good for dark, course body hair.
There is a third method, multineedle, which is an older method that is no longer common. Blend is a chemical reaction that destroys the hair and Thermolysis is a heat reaction that does the same.
The number of treatments you have to get depends on how long your session is, how big the area being treated is, and many other variables. Also, the length of time in between treatments varies. If you are doing the same area, you might need to stick to weekly treatments, but if you are doing different areas, you can have daily treatments.
Some of the most common areas done with electrolysis include the upper lip, chin, chest, stomach, and bikini line. Cindy said that most of her patients are women, although men are beginning to use her services more frequently.
A topical anesthetic cream can be used to reduce the pain. She noted that the upper lip is the most common area the cream is used. Electrolysis lasts forever, so you never have to come back for retreatment for a specific hair follicle.
However, due to the stages of growth that hair goes through, there may be new hair that begins to grow after you have had a specific area treated. Also, a drawback to electrolysis is that after you have the area done, you have to avoid direct sunlight on that area for about two days. A person must be at least 14 years of age to receive electrolysis treatments.
When I had the electrolysis, it hurt like there was heat under my skin and there were painless red bumps for a little while afterwards.
Prices for sessions vary depending on the area and the electrologist, but Cindy Greene’s prices are:
15 minutes = $48
30 minutes = $60
45 minutes = $70
1 hour = $80
If you use an electrologist, he or she should be California licensed and have a framed certificate on the wall. In addition, he or she should use disposable probes. Whether or not the probes are gold does matter unless you are allergic or have a special preference.
Monitoring Hair Regrowth
Day 1 – Shaving and Nair have a small amount of stubble, although it is barely noticeable. The waxing sections are still red, but hair free. The laser reduction and electrolysis sections show no change.
Day 2 – Shaving and Nair have more stubble. No hair in waxing sections, although I have little ingrown hairs in the at-home sections. No change in the laser hair reduction or electrolysis sections.
Day 3 – Nair and shaving have light-colored stubble. No new hair in waxing area, but bumps continue. No change in laser or electrolysis sections.
Day 4 – There is visible hair in the Nair and shaving sections. The hair missed by the wax that I did at home is making it hard to judge if there is new hair, but I have concluded that there is no new hair growth yet.
Day 5 – There is now stubble where I did the at-home cold wax on my leg. The Nair and shaving sections have longer hair that is not clearly visible unless looked at very closely. Neither hot wax area has stubble or any hair growth yet.
Day 6 – Shaving and Nair hair still growing, along with cold wax. Laser and hot wax (at-home and salon) have no changes that I can see yet.
Day 7 – There is no hair or markings in my laser, electrolysis and hot wax sections. Nair, cold wax, and shaving are all growing hair as usual.
Day 15 – Hair is growing back in all of the sections except for the electrolysis area. There is also some new hair growth in the laser area but hair has been reduced overall.
Conclusion
I have summarized what I learned in the following charts and I hope that the information in Charts 1 and 2 will help you make a decision that is right for you.
Nair, shaving, and laser were the least painful and the least expensive per treatment. However, Nair and shaving were also the least effective. The most effective methods are electrolysis and laser, followed by hot wax done at a salon.
In order to compare the cost more realistically, since some methods are permanent and some are not, I estimated the cost for 35 years using the per treatment cost and figuring out how often most people would have to use each method, assuming they start shaving at about age 15 and slow down at about age 50, because hair decreases over time.
Chart 2 may be surprising because laser hair reduction is actually one of the most inexpensive methods along with shaving and Nair. Electrolysis could not be included in this estimate because the electrologist said the cost was just too individual for her to make an estimate.
Good luck and happy hair reduction!