<p>Ever since I was in my early teens I have had dark hair on my upper lip. I think that it is partly genetic, because my sisters, mom, and grandma have it too. As I have gotten older I even have random dark hairs showing up on my chin and cheeks. I have tried a few different "permanent hair removal" laser treatments, but none of them are really permanent. It is also starting to show up on my breasts and lower abdomen. This is really embarasing. Someone told me once that it was because of my hormones and if I lost weight I wouldn't have that problem. Has anyone out there had it go away after loosing a lot of weight?</p>

It can be related to being overweight (which impcts hormones). I believe that once the hair's there, it's there (unless you do something to remove it). In other words, losing the weight won't make the hair go away.

Have you tried the prescription cream Vaniqua....I think is what it is called. It is supposed to help.

Kat

BTW, there's problem hair areas, and there's hirsutism. Have you ecer spoken with a doctor about it? Hirsutism can be a symptom of other conditions.

Yes, I have spoken with my Dr and he did blood tests to check for testosterone levels. It was normal. I guess I will just have to wait and see if anything changes. I do end up bleaching my facial hair about every 2 weeks. It would be nice to get rid of it all for good!

Some women just have more hair than others. I remember discussing this in the dorms as a freshman. Check out frida Khalo paintings sometime... I think it is quite normal. Of course I would say this and then the girls who did have a little mustache would point out that I was pretty unhairy (and that is true, I generally don't even shave or wax my thighs since the hair there is so fine and pale). So I would explain that sure I was... Now. Give me thirty years and I'll probably be as hairy as the next person. I have older relatives that swear by their facial bleach. Some women even shave. I like wax myself (I use it on my legs, underwarms, and those tiny little invisible hairs that grow between my eyebrows. They annoy me). And there is also the the cream stuff that takes hair away. I find wax satisfying, because it decreases ingrown hairs and I'm sort of masochistic I guess. I love ripping those suckers up by the root (and no, it doesn't hurt. To me, a razor cut hurts a lot more). Some men are less hairy then other men naturally. Some guys have to shave twice a day and still get a shadow. Other guys might only need a shave every few days (and some races need never shave at all). Its just a variation...

Whilst its easy to read your post and think PCOS for sure, if you've had your hormone levels checked, it may be just that you're dark so the hair shows.

I'm pretty unhairy, I dont have hair on my thighs (well not visible) or lower abdomen at all, but I do wax my upper lip and my eyebrows, well lets just say nobody will EVER see me with my eyebrows in their natural state.

I am very hairy also. It started on my upper light when I was a teen and now it is every where that you have talked about. It is very annoying. I had my bllod checked and they said everything is normal. I have lost 114 pounds and have not noticed any change. I just pluck and shave every day. I guess I cant really give you any advise. I am still looking for some myself. Good luck to you.

After working as an esthetician (skin care specialist) for many years I can tell you that you are not alone, many many women struggle with major facial hair issues and elswhere on the body that we would consider odd or unfeminine. Theoretically hormonal hair will go away when the hormones are in balance again. That said, weight loss will not necessarily make that happen, it might it might not. Personally I have PCOS so this is something I struggle with daily and I hate it. It has gotten worse as I have gotten older and fatter. Now that I am losing and almost halfway to goal the hair has not gone away yet, I am still hopeful. Either way, my present to me when I hit goal is going to be laser hair removal. Their are clinics who will guarantee their work after 5 or 6 treatments, if the hair ever comes back further treatments are free! I know people who have had this done and are still hair free, it really is permanent if you don't have an ongoing issue to make it come back like hormones, which is why I am waiting till my weight is down all the way. Your hair may be simply genetic in which case laser should work for you since your hair is dark. New lasers are picking up lighter hairs but still the best results are with pigmented hair, the more pigment the better for removal purposes.

I would be inclined to think its related to poly cystic ovarian disease(PCOS). you should talk to your doctor about your problems and see if he or she would run a hormone pannel on you. Good luck !!

What do they check for PCOS? I think the only thing my dr checked was testosterone. Should he have checked Estrogen? I am very dark haired and light skin, so I know that it shows up more on me than some people, but it is driving me crazy that it keeps coming back even after getting the laser treatments. The lady that does the laser keeps telling me to do this spit test thing that she swears by. She says it is more acurate than a blood test to check hormones for menopausal women. I am only 26! Has anyone heard of this?

My vote is PCOS.

I have it and it sucks!!

You need to see a endocrinologist.

Sounds like PCOS to me too. I have PCOS with normal levels of testosterone, which might be due to birth control pill, I'm not sure. To diagnose it they do an ultrasound of the ovaries, looking for cysts that are sometimes referred to as a "string of pearls" There are many symptoms and not everyone who has PCOS has every symptom. One big one is irregular menstrual cycles, but again if your on the pill that would regulate your cycles (kind of a psuedo cycle). As well as the hirsutism. I suggest going to www.soulcysters.net, a great website for PCOS. HTH!

I was tested for PCOS when I was trying to get pregnant with my first son. They thought for sure that I had it because of the hair thing and it was taking a while for me to get pregnant. But I didnt have it. I do think that sometimes people are just hairy. Unfortunatly I am one of them. I am going to ask my Dr about that new cream that you get through them. I will let you know if that works.

I've got PCOS and was wondering if any other ladies out there with the same have tried anti androgens? found some but the best seems to be cyproterone acetate - been reading up on it and I'm gonna ask my doc about it. The dianette contraceptive pill has anti androgens in it but not recommended if you're over 35 and obese.

Yvonne

x

You know even if your blood test come back ok they should do a ultrasound thats how I found out I have it. Other Things that might point towards PCOS is frequient lower abdomanol pain and pain with intercourse. It's just something that would be good to check into. But As you said some people are just naturally hairy due to genetics or whatever. good luck