Why Do Women Have Facial Hair or Body Hair - Research Paper Example

Research paper, Health Sciences and Medicine 9 March Why do Women have Facial Hair or Body Hair? What is causing this Phenomenon? Can it be cured or changed? 1. Introduction Hair growth in women’s facial and body parts varies in individuals based on factors like race, health conditions, heredity tendency, diet lifestyle and the habits of drugs and steroids taken. A certain amount of hair is normal, but becomes a problem for women when it exaggerates to that of masculinity. Other than race factors, the other elements can influence women’s hair growth before or after their puberty, due to the effect of increased androgens that influence the hair follicles and body tissues for processes of cells activation and differentiation meant for growth. 2. What causes excessive hair? All people have hormones in their bodies that stimulate growth of their bodies and facial hair. It hence depends on the level of hormones secreted, the number of the hair follicles in an individual’s body, and how sensitive they are to be stimulated for growth. Any other conditions or substances introduced into the body that trigger overproduction of the hormones could contribute to excess body and facial hair. 2.1 Hormone Androgen This is normally associated to the male gender for its masculine effect. However, women also produce the sex hormone in their adrenal glands and ovaries. Androgen aids in production of oestrogen that serves a greater role in female sexual desires, emotions and satisfaction. Testosterone and adrenal androgens are the main types of the hormone in women; they are released into the blood stream and also produced at the body tissues (body fats and skin) after conversion of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and androstenedione (A) into androgens at the cells, skin, and hair follicles (Monash University, 2010, p.1). Male bodies produce more of the androgen hormone than women, which is necessary for development of their masculine features (muscles, deep voice, body hair on their chest, inner thighs, arms and lower abdomen and facial hair like mustache and beards among others). Similarly, a high level production of androgen (testosterone) hormone in excess would stimulate excess facial and body hair production in women among other masculine features, a condition termed Hirsutism (Jacoby and Youngson, 2005, p. 2196). As a result, the highly sensitive parts to androgen in women’s bodies have stimulated thick and darker hair growth. This is because the hair follicles in those parts are more sensitive and the higher the number of the follicles, the more the excessive hair on their bodies. 2.2 Discharge of strong proteins Certain diets affect the production of testosterone hormone in a woman’s body. Diets that contain zinc minerals can help to activate testosterone production, while healthy fats enable cells to manufacture the hormone. The discharge of strong proteins leads to development of body and facial hair on women’s bodies. Abnormal hair growth could appear at the upper lips, which “indicate excess consumption of proteins that create hormonal imbalances and excess production of androgen” causing the proteins to seek alternative ways to discharge through body systems and organs like the hair (Pirello, 2001, n.p.). For example, high red meat and eggs consumption provides sufficient HDL that facilitates high testosterone production. 2.3 Insulin resistance and hereditary disorders Some women have bad eating behavior that affects their body sugar control. Certain foods consumed have high glycaemic index, enough to initiate body insulin resistance. It could also result from certain nutritional supplements other than sugary foods, which end up demanding high level of insulin to be effective at lowering blood sugar. They create an elevated level of insulin in the blood that triggers growth factors, which in turn cause ovaries in the female reproductive system to overproduce testosterone. In other situations, it can result from a family’s linage tendency to be more hairy, effect of taking excessive steroids in treating other conditions, which result to weight gain and excess hair growth. 3. Can it be cured or changed? Yes, it can be changed, but obtaining a permanent cure for Hirsutism is impossible. Before beginning of its treatment, it’s necessary that the doctor conducts various tests to determine the cause. Extensive blood hormone tests, cosmetic effects, drugs, steroids and other conditions that could cause it are examined. 3.1 Hormonal treatment When conditions like PCOS and CAH are established, it’s is necessary to control the production of growth hormones associated with them. Hyperandrogenism resulting from these conditions can be treated via oral contraceptive drugs that contain progestins combinations among other anti –androgens that suppress the ovulatory cycle to reduce ovarian androgen production, lower the level of free testosterone and inhibit adrenal release of the hormone (Sachdeva, 2010). The other category of drugs is anti-androgenic drug blockers and taken together with oral contraceptives would reduce testosterone production by inhibiting androgen receptors. They include finasterides, flutamides, spironolactones and cyroterone acetate, while other agents like insulin sensitizers and Eflornithine hydrochloride focus on increasing insulin sensitivity and inhibiting enzymes involved in keratin synthesis for hair growth (Griffing, 2014). However, most of these drugs could generate side effects worth attention. Drugs or steroids tested to be the cause of the excess body or facial hair growth should be changed according to the doctor’s recommendations. 3.2 Hair removal These could be temporary or permanent measures meant to reduce the facial or body hair. They entail most of the mechanical hair removal like “shaving, plucking, waxing, depilatory creams, electrolysis, and laser vaporisation” to control hirsutism (Bienova et al, 2006, p.50). Methods like electrolysis enable removal of hair permanently by destroying the hair follicles with electric current and laser therapy by destroying the selected unwanted hair by allowing the wavelength of light absorbed by the follicle melanin to damage the target tissue (Leppert and Peipert, 2004, p. 278). These methods have side effects such as skin irritation, and may cause scarring and folliculitis. 3.3 Physical exercise and diet regulation For those women with excess fats in their bodies, weight loss is the first strategy to reduce the fats in their bodies that contribute to production of the androgen hormone. Overweight and obesity are associated with excess production of androgen. Controlling the types of diets consumed, especially the rich proteins with HDL would reduce insulin resistance in the body and maintain stable insulin level to limit trigger of excess production of androgen hormone. Acronyms PCOS - polycystic ovarian syndrome CAH - congenital adrenal hyperplasia HDL – High Density Lipoprotein Works Cited Bienová, M., Kučerová, R., Fiurášková, M., Hajdúch, M., Brychtová S., Seligson, A. l. and Sovak, M. “Current Methods of Treating Hirsutism: Review and a3-Month Pilot Study with Topical Antiandrogen Fluridil.” Scripta Medica (Brno) – 79.1(February 2006): 49–58. Web. 10 April 2014. Griffing, G. T. “Hirsutism Treatment and Management.” medscape.com. 11 March 2014. Web. 10 April 2014. Jacoby, D. B. and Youngson, R. M. Eds. Encyclopedia of Family Health. New York: Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 2005. Print. Leppert, P.C. and Peipert, J.F. Primary Care for Women. 2nd Ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2004. Print. Monash University. “Excess Body Hair-Hirsutism: Causes and Treatment Option Advice for Health Professional.” monash.edu.au. 2010. Web. 9 April 2014. Pirello, Christina. Glow: A Prescription for Radiant Health and Beauty. New York: Penguin Putnam Inc, 2001. Print. Sachdeva, S. “Hirsutism: Evalauation and Treatment.” Indian J Dermatol. 55.1 (2010): 3–7. Web. 10 April 2014. Read More