Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kate on January 27, 2011 at 1:19am

Don't feel lonely. I think hair growth and loss is a common stress among most women, but rarely talked about. Therefore we hardly know what is normal and what makes us stand out. I don't mean to pry, but can you explain a bit more about the extra hair situation? As I am getting older I am finding more hairs, and more wiry hairs, in places I am not sure they belong (chin/neck and bikini line to name a few). I haven't sprouted an impenetrable forest or anything, but it is definitely more than it used to be. And I am only 30! But to be honest, I am not sure how much of this is normal human biology that we have been "brainwashed" to believe is not ok by magazines/movies/commercials/TV, or how much of this kind of hair growth is abnormal. I mean, the common social standard for women is that we are hairless from our lower eyebrows down to our toes. Then again, maybe toe hairs, bushy pubes, a bit of a abdomen happy trail, the random nipple hair (or ten), a bit of growth on the neck or upper lip, or bushy eyebrows is actually pretty common....? I have no idea really, not being a physician, but if it help,s just remember that it takes a lot of work for most of us to be as hairless as we think we are supposed to be over our bodies.

Above all, never forget that lack of or excess hair does not make the person. You are valuable beyond hair!

Permalink Reply by Amy on January 29, 2011 at 11:37am

Thanks for the reply! I believe that my excess hair situation is definately outside of the "norm", how far outside I am not sure, but definately above and beyond anything I have heard of before. As far as the details, dark /wiry hair on thighs and tummy, heavy hair on arms, and dark shorter and softer (at least for the moment) hair on my knuckles, chest (creeping up past most shirt necklines) and breasts, and now on my back. Also, have gotten light colored soft short hair all over face (checks, neck, chin). It started with my arm hair back when my head hair started to fall out excessivly (2 years ago). Then spread to tummy, legs - spread to chest (below breasts) about 6 months ago, and within the last two month is now all over chest around and above breasts and on breasts as well (that was the real point of frustration for me - all else I could probably be okay with, but not that). As it is winter, I am accomodating by wearing clothes that cover everything up, but not sure what I will do in summer - plus causing major intimacy issues (w/ husband). My biggest fear (seemingly inevitable) is that these hairs will become "terminal" and I will have long thick black wiry hairs all over my body. I could live with what I have now, but do not know what I would do in that situation. It just amazes me that give my bodies sudden change (hair loss and excess hair growth) that there is not something worng with me hormonally. But dr's assure me there is nothing wrong with my hormone levels. Dr. said I could go on spiro or other med, but not if I was planning to have children in the future. I do already have kids, but have not ruled out having another, so .. . am kind of stuck. Worst part of it (as with pretty much everything) is not knowing how bad it's going to get . . . Sometimes I just think, oh well, I'll just wear a wig and wax all over, but as it gets closer to that day, I have a harder time with it.

Permalink Reply by Virginia on January 29, 2011 at 1:26pm

I'm with you on this and it sucks. I have been tested for everything, for a little while the doctors thought I had PCOS , but I don't have cystic ovaries. Then the doctors thought it was a metabolic immune disorder and that I need to loose weight (I agree with the loosing weight). Then about 6 months ago I went to a German doctor specializing in nuclear medicine and she diagnosed me with Hashimoto's disease- auto immune thyroid disorder. Since I've been on the meds, my hair has grown a little thicker and my excess hair is taking longer to grow back after I have it removed. I guess time will tell if this is what is really wrong with me. I have lost some faith in doctors. No one seems to know why I am looking more and more like a fat bald man with boobs. I totally feel your frustration. It is absolutely a blow to my self esteem.

Permalink Reply by Amy on January 29, 2011 at 3:07pm

The dr. recommended that weight loss might help for me as well - I lost 35 lbs (still 30 lb from my goal weight - my "pre-children" weight), but hair issues continuing without any sign of improvement. Did you have any abnormal lab results that resulted in your thyroid disorder diagnosis? Did you have any abnormal test results for hormones, etc . . . I still struggle with not having an explanation for the sudden changes . . .

Permalink Reply by Virginia on January 30, 2011 at 3:46pm

well my hormone levels are with the range of normal, but high up on the "normal" scale. As for the thyroid, it was always missed because all the labs came back "borderline" so no one thought to go any farther, even though my ultra sound came back showing that my thyroid is smaller than normal and is barely functioning. Then I went to a German doctor and she ran additional tests. With all my symptoms she suspected Hashimoto's disease (the leading cause of hypothyroidism). And it was so progressed that my thyroid has already started to shrink. Do you have any problems with anxiety or depression? You should google Hashimoto's disease and see if you have any of the other symptoms- hair loss and excessive hair growth are some of the symptoms though they are more rare than the others.

Permalink Reply by Christy Ingram on February 15, 2011 at 10:18am

Hi Amy, I hope you are doing good! I seem to have quite a bit of very pale downy like hair, mutton chop area on my face. My legs and arm pits seem to have about the usual amount of hair for me....I would really love not having to shave these areas anymore. I have never had a lot of hair in my private area, so I've never really given sparseness there a second thought. My hormones are normal, or at least the Dr's say so, But I feel like they are out of wack!!! I had a hysterectomy in 2007 because of fibroids/heavy extended periods, hoping that my hair loss would slow down and possibly reverse...no such luck! I am losing my eyebrows but will occasionally have wild thick looking hairs grow in the area where it really shouldn't be....*sigh*

Permalink Reply by LA on May 15, 2011 at 9:01am

I have the same problem. I stopped treating my hair loss about 9 months ago. Since then I have temporal balding which is painful and itchy all the time. Plus, have developed crazy muscles, acne and lots of masculine hair growth. I have normal levels of hormones and have seen endo, derm, gyne. No solutions other than mucking with hormones with meds.

I feel very helpless and frustrated. I try to ignore it, but it's impossible. Constant reminders with hair shedding or a glance down at my knuckles while typing and seeing tons of hair?!?! I really can't believe this is happening to me and am so sorry it's happening to others!! You're not alone!

Permalink Reply by Lili on October 4, 2011 at 12:37am

A slew of symptoms came before I starting losing hair. Acne, oiliness, excess hair (I pluck 'em gone!) and my body shape changed. I did blood tests with a doctor and found that I don't have PCOS. However, the doctor agreed I had androgen sensitivity. That is what they speculate is the cause of women's female pattern baldness. I'm going to go back to the doctor again, a year later, because my periods are acting really wonky. And I've been feeling crappier around that time of month than is normal for me. Sorry if this is TMI. I want my hormones and throid checked again, just to make sure...

But the doc told me that excess hair is common with female pattern hair loss. :/

Permalink Reply by Kycie on November 23, 2011 at 6:22am

I understand the emotiinal struggle( s) you must be goung through. I want to thank you for your courage to be so transparent and honest in revealing the totality of your experiences. Though I can not compare my body dilemnas to yours, I can come alongside and say your worth as a woman can not be valued in cimparison to another. I admire you.