Of Werewolves And Excess Hair

In the past, unwanted hair could bring the person a lot of trouble. That’s because hairy people were thought to be werewolves in disguise and they were either tortured or put to death.

So great was the fear of werewolves in those days that people devised signs that supposedly identified these creatures. Persons whose eyebrows grew together were under suspicion. So was anyone who had hair growing on his palms.

The presence of "abnormal" hair, however, was not always a bad omen. In other countries, it is considered lucky to have hair on the arms and hands for this meant the person would soon be wealthy. In India, hairy women are said to be faithful wives.

The modern world takes a different view of hair. While thick, shiny hair can be an asset, the presence of hairs in other parts of the body can be annoying if not embarrassing. This is especially true in women who have hair on the cheeks, upper lip, underarms, or legs.

Too much hair in the body is called hirsutism and it can occur for a variety of reasons. Excess hair may follow the use of medications such as phenytoin which is given to epileptics or it may be a side effect of certain antihypertensives, hormones, or cortisone drugs.

Certain diseases can trigger abnormal hair growth. In anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder which is characterized by the unrealistic fear of becoming fat, the patient may have an increase in fine body hairs.

Most of the time, the problem is due to a malfunction of the ovaries. A tumor or other disorders in that area can upset the balance of hormones and affect the growth pattern of hair on the face and body.

Likewise, a tumor in the adrenal gland can cause an increase in the amount of facial and body hair. Young women who have irregular periods or no menstruation at all and an unusual amount of hair that appears within a few months should see a doctor to rule out these conditions.

Sometimes hairiness may have something to do with a person's racial and geographic origin. Women of Greek, Italian, or Arabic descent normally have more hair than Oriental women. So check your family tree. If your mom or dad had lots of hair, there's a great possibility you'll inherit the same quality.

At the time of menopause, women may develop facial hair because of low estrogen levels. Pregnancy can also put more hair in the body. This usually decreases after delivery.

For most women, however, the cause of hirsutism is unknown. In these persons, there is a slight increase in the production of androgen (a hormone that controls hair growth) that leads to the appearance of hair in unlikely places.

If this is your problem, rejoice for you are not sick. Neither do you have any underlying disorder. It's just that doctors don't know what's causing this - the reason they call it idiopathic hirsutism.

"Women with idiopathic hirsutism experience normal menstrual cycles, have normal ovaries, and have no evidence of tumors or abnormal adrenal gland function. With such causes ruled out, the condition poses no health risk but is a matter of cosmetic concern," according to Dr. David E. Larson, editor-in-chief of the Mayo Clinic Family Health Book.

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