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Conditions

Hirsutism

Excessive hair

In ancient Greece, the young brides of Argos would fix false beards to their chins on their wedding night, so as to be in no way inferior to the men with whom they shared a bed. However, when the fun and games of the consummation were over, these Argive women knew they could remove the beard and embrace femininity again. But for modern women suffering from hirsutism – when females grow too much body or facial hair in a pattern seen normally occurring only in men – facial hair can be embarrassing and a cause of great distress. Furthermore, removing such facial and bodily hair requires treatment, such as physically removing the hairs; taking a course of anti-androgen drugs; or having courses of electrolysis or laser treatment. Excessive hairiness in women can be caused by abnormally high androgen levels (male hormones), which is sometimes due to an underlying medical condition, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Comments and Questions

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Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.

The person who so kindly replied to my post and said yes to nhs. Could you tell me precisely how bad your hair problem was. Mine is bad but im so frightend about going to the gp. If i know mine is like is as bad i will feel confident to go...dont wanna embaress myself and loose all dignity for them to say im not hairy enough!!!





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Seriously... There have been so many comments on this topic. We seem to be so many people who suffer from hirsutism. Why does laser treatment have to cost so much? What if you, like me, don't have hormone problems or irregular periods or something like that - what if you just got your white skin and your thick/dark hair from your parents?... This bothers me EVERY single day.





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hi I'm 14 and have had this problem a few months before i started my periods. i have dark sking and black hair so it really shows up. i have 2-4 cm hairs on my stomach, my breasts, my breast line, my bum and basucally my whole body. this problem has stopped me from wearing the clothes i would like to wear and i cant even go swimming anymore because i feel really ashamed. i sometomes get laughed at by other poeple, they call me names like gorilla and its causing me to get depressed. i have told my mum and she said that she will take me to the doctors but im sure that they will do nothign about it and state it as "normal". i dont know how to live with the problem but im hoping that i can get laser treatment to solve it as i dont want to shave beause it grows back thicker and longer. please please please, if you have any tips or just anything that can help me please tell me. thank you





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hi,i am 15 years old and i have excessive hair growth.I so hairy compared to my brothers!. I have it in my stomach but its not that bad. I also have it in my arms a lot and my back but the worst is in my forehead its really depressing and embrassing the hair is quite noticable if you Stand right in front of me plus i think that it causes my spots which are realy bad. I use to take it off with hair removel cream but I stopped because my skin got really sensitive and I use to shave my arms but stopped when they grow their really itchy and long. my mum says its becasue of my dad and shouldn't worry but she doesn't know how it feels like because she's hairless. Can someone help me?. thank you for taking your time to read this.xx





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I have had this problem since i was 13, i am now 24. I went to many doctors and they wouldnt help.I invesigated my symptoms and it turns out i have pcos. i am in the process of trying to get laser hair removal funded on the nhs. I just want to say to all the women suffering that there is hope.If your doctor doesnt help then get a second opinion.I felt suicidal before but now im fighting the medical proessionals.





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Thank you for youre post. I found it helpful. Were you frightend to show the doctor? I'm real scared and keep putting it off

hello im 23 and am suffering from PCOS ive had it since i was about 14 years old. it took me till i was 23 to get the confidences to speak to my doctor about it cause i was embarrest so now i am being referred to laser treatment on the nhs it wont cost me nothink so girls u can get it free on nhs my sister also had it done.





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Hi, I'm 24 year old female and too have hair problems. My husband gets very disheartened when i dont let him look at me naked or even touch my body. He thinks i dont love him and that im fridged too. Ive explained to him its because im unhappy with my body. But i too frightend to show him all the hair because i know it would make him feel sick and he would probably leave me. I know it sounds vain, but it ruins my life! Is laser surgery offered on the nhs?





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Hi,I am not sure about laser surgery being offered on NHS but I have heard that they do offer electrolosis. i too have a hair problem but I too am too embarressed to tell anyone about my problem including the doctor, I don't know what it is or why I have it, but it makes me feel so down and unconfident in myself. I just wanted to talk to someone I don't know, who is going through the same problem, I just feel so alone when I think about it. I just want it to go away. i Have the same problem that you have with your husband, i want to tell him so badly but Im scared he will leave me, but I feel it is unfair to keep it from him.

yes it is hun ive just been referred by my gp and my sister has had it done on the nhs too. i know exactly how u feel hun its stopped me having boy friends.

I am nearly 18 years old. I have always been very embarrassed to get changed infront of anyone because of my hairy problem. i have got more hair than anyone i know and i have always thought i was the only one. i am glad there are more people but i am still very embarrassed about it. I have got hair on my face, private area, stomach ... just everywhere. at the minute i just shave it off but is there any other suggestions of what i can do ?? xx





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I am 13 and have blonde hairs growing under my chin, I really want laser treatment as I can't think of the problems going to highschool is going to corse. I haven't told my mum how much it is affecting me but want to pluck up the courage to ask her if I can see my GP. I hate having this hairy burden and always wonder why it had to be me who had it. Please could anyone leave a message as I really need a little reassurence! This problem has been bringing me down for years and I don't have any confidence because of it.e.g I won't go to school if we have to present a power pointpresentation to the class as I am worried the light from the smart board will show it off! I don't see how I can go anywhere in my future years if this problem is always there niggling away at me... Pleaz give me some advice as I'm not sure if laser treatment works on light coloured hairs, thanx!





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iam 35 years old and have suffered with pocs since having my third child i was under the hospital for 3 years they put me on tablets and vaniqa cream but to no avail they told me there was no more they could do so i was discharged so i bought myself a rio laser removal system which is a total waste of money i now have excessive facial hair anal and pubic hair i do feel self concious about this especially whilst at work i also now shave at least once a day i wished it wasn't so expensive to have proper laser treatment as i would definitly give it a go.





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i have had this since 37 i also have to shave daily, i hate it and im very concious and wish i could afford laser treatment





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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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