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Embarrassing Bodies , 7:00pm Sunday 14th March 2010 on Channel 4. Catch up for free »

Conditions

Becker’s Nevus

Becker's Nevus on the back

Actor, Richard Gere, has it all – the dashing good looks, the bankable acting talent, the fame, the fortune, the…Becker’s Nevus? Yes, he really does have it all, even a rare skin disorder! First documented in 1948 by U.S. dermatologist, Samuel William Becker, a Becker’s Nevus generally first appears as an irregular pigmentation of the shoulders or upper chest, which gradually enlarges and becomes thickened and often hairy. No treatment is usually necessary, except for cosmetic reasons. However, it’s worthy of note that Richard Gere has never concealed his Becker’s Nevus during movie love scenes. In An Officer and a Gentleman he felt comfortable enough to frolic around shirtless with Debra Winger and show the whole world his ‘hairy birthmark’. So if he doesn’t have a problem with it…

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did the young man in the beckers nevus video have successful results?





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i have a really hairy back ,chest and upper arms , is there any thing that can help perminantly . im at the end of my rope, just so fed up not swimming with my kids not taking my top off on holiday....





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My problem is i have hairy palms on my hands and i'm 15 :(

im 14 and i dont have a lot of hair but a little on my back. it makes me feel very contiouse.... is there a treatment.???? help ..





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I was diagnosed with Becker's nevus at the age of 17. I have been doing laser hair removal at a laser hair removal office for over a year now (I'm 19) and most of the hair is gone. Even though the pigment hasn't completely faded, it has lightened greatly. I am considering getting a tattoo over it to completely disguise it as I am very self conscious about it. Has anyone had any experience with getting a tattoo over it?





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I don't feel I have beckers but I am very concious and embaressed because I have a hairy back and buttocks which. this affects me when I on holiday at the beach or go swimming. does anyone have any advice as of how to possibly ease the problem or stop it?





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hi all im 19 and have BN and its on my left arm and back but it doesnt bother me at all lol. my father says god made us all differently and to give us all our own identity. but i just say im lucky its not something that can hurt me or damage me





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Hi I have now had two types of laser (test patches) on the Beckers nevus (on the chest/arm) Alexandra laser - no effect at all, beckers nevus not even lightened. Q-Yag Laser - lightened/partially removed the beckers nevus (if done all over the beckers nevus I would be very happy as skin underneath is pretty much back to normal colour) If you do have the condition and want to get rid of it, ask for a YAG laser (its painful) but does impact upon the blemish.





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My BN pretty much covers my whole left pectoral area. I first noticed it when I was 15 and had it diagnosed by a dermatologist when I was 17. For the longest time I was so embarassed by it and it was a cause of anxiety everytime I went to the pool or beach. Now I'm 24 and in the prime of my life, I find that I really don't care about it too much. EVERYONE has issues dealing with their body image and lucky for us with BN, ours isn't harmful to our health in any way. Bottom line is that we should just not worry about what other people think and get on with our lives knowing that we're the same as everyone else. Don't ever let it hold you back from doing the things you really want to! :-)





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I am a fit and healthy 25 year old, i am confident that i developed B.N through a degree of sun damage and rough treatment on the area when on a family holiday. Since then hair has grown on the area which i have waxed and shaved. I have had laser treatment now for around 6 months. As a warning it is very exspensive, it hurts and the results happen very slowly, hair does begin to thin and some pigmantation has faded and in some areas returned to normal but i am a work in progress! The results take a long time! As yet i am unsure if i will get total hair loss and normal pigmantation only time will tell.





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Hey my name is Jeffrey, have you noticed any dramatic changes over the course of your last few sessions?

I have a funny story, weird actually. My cousin and I were 14 years old when we went on a beach trip with the family. After that day, we both discovered that we had a hand sized B.N. on our right chest. We went to a lot of Dermatologists asking about this coincidence and whether it had anything to do with our genes. No answers yet. Now we are 26 and we are living with it. So as some one mentioned it earlier, just try living with it and loving it. WE ARE SPECIAL. :)





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It looks like no one else has asked this question, so please fill in the rest of your details below.





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