Anyways, scientists have recently discovered that peoples body hair can be influenced by outside factors. Body and facial hair is a big worry to many women, so to find out what causes it gives all women so hope.
Obviously the most common cause of hair is through genes and race, some people are just hairier than others. The other more interesting factors are what follows;
- Cakes and Biscuits- Eating large quantities of sugary refined carbs, like biscuits and cakes can trigger excess hair. The science behind this is that these carbs have a high glycaemic index, which means they release their energy quickly and can cause insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone which controls blood sugar level and the resistance means the hormone becomes less effective meaning the blood sugar will lower. Because of this the body will increase its production of insulin which consequently causes the ovaries to produce too much testosterone which can lead to excess hair. P.S- Being overweight can also cause insulin resistance.
- Polycystic Ovaries- This condition is the main cause of excess hair in women. The most common symptoms is a high level of male hormones (androgens), which leads to hair growth. If excess hair is due to a hormone imbalance, it tends to occur in areas such as the chin, upper lip, sideburns, chest and inner thighs.
- Eczema- Skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis causes hair growth due to inflammation, which causes increased blood flow to that part of the area, accelerating hair growth.
- Menopause- As oestrogen declines during menopause, again that pesky testosterone sneaks in and becomes more dominant, again causing excess hair growth.
How to tackle it-
Obviously with everything prevention is the best cure. so making sure you are fit and healthy will help you avoid weight gain, and can reduce the chances of developing conditions that increase your chances of hair growth. If its a hormonal condition that causes the hair growth, you need to wait to finish your treatment as hair growth will still continue so results wont be permanent. It is also recommended to use a range of medical treatments available on the NHS, such as anti-androgens (which block male hormones), eflornithe cream (to slow hair growth) or the contraceptive pill.
To remove hair in general there is your shaving (quick and painless), waxing (painful but effective), bleaching (painless, but not always an option for darker skin), and laser treatment (permanent, effective, but expensive).
