It started innocently enough—a chin hair sticking out haphazardly from my soft 20-year-old skin. I screamed. It was short and black, like a small nail, and I pulled it out immediately. It pops up every now and then – unfortunately one time, during a date, it came out of my chin again and my new boyfriend thought it was an eyelash and tried to swipe it away and then had to say, “Oh… no, it’s stuck in there” – but for the most part, I don’t have to think about intruders. It wasn’t until I was in my thirties that all of a sudden, the hair on my chin and chin started to grow. I actually think the sudden growth of hair on the chin and neck is more of a sudden color change than a sudden growth. Our faces have always been covered in hair, but now, those hairs seem to be randomly turning black – or growing new hairs in the middle of the peach fuzz – and I’m seriously not the only one. Is this a hormonal issue? Should I do some testing? Does this happen as you get closer to 40?
I’m all for aging gracefully, but God help me if I find myself without tweezers.
It turns out that age and pre-menopause may be the reason why those spiky little black hairs are popping up everywhere. But dermatologist Dr. Jodi LoGerfo says hirsutism — “excessive hair growth in women in areas where hair typically grows in men, such as the face, chest and back” — can also be caused by a hormonal imbalance. Caused, especially by androgens (male hormones). This unwanted hair is usually made up of dark, coarse hair and is commonly found on the upper lip, chin, chest, upper and lower abdomen, upper arms, upper and lower back, inner thighs, and buttocks. “It’s basically areas where women have little or no hair,” Logefau said.
Great. I lost a bunch of hair after giving birth and now it’s growing back on my face? According to LoGerfo, this condition of excessive facial hair growth is common in female patients of all ages (but if it occurs in children, it may just be a sign of early puberty). It could simply be caused by a genetic predisposition (thanks, grandma), but it could also be a sign of a hormonal imbalance or a condition like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Polycystic ovary syndrome is one of the most common causes of dark, coarse hair, but you may also experience other symptoms, such as irregular menstrual cycles, fertility issues and weight gain as your hair grows, LoGerfo says.
“Other potential causes include adrenal gland disease and certain medications, such as testosterone or dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA,” she says. But regardless of whether you’re able to pinpoint the cause of hair growth on your own, Logefor says, “When a patient develops hirsutism, we perform a variety of blood tests to rule out underlying causes and make referrals for further treatment of those causes if necessary. It’s definitely worth talking to your doctor about why these dark hairs appear suddenly, but some premenopausal women may also develop hirsutism that persists into menopause. “It’s usually due to estrogen being produced by the ovaries. The amount decreases while the production of male hormones continues. “
Once you figure out the cause of these unwanted hairs, getting rid of them is entirely up to you. LoGerfo says waxing is a good option, but you need to use a gentle wax on your face and the wax is only temporary. However, waxing over and over again may eventually traumatize the hair follicles and prevent them from recovering. LoGerfo does recommend that if you are using a “systemic retinoic acid such as Accutane,” avoid waxing as it can be extremely irritating and damaging to your skin.
Laser hair removal is also an option and is permanent, and is actually most effective when the hair is darker, such as the hair that grows on our chins. But threading and chemical hair removers can also be used to remove unwanted facial hair. You can always just shave if it’s easiest for you, but know that the hair will grow back quickly.
Regardless, if you notice a lot of new hair growing on your face, mention it to your doctor. They can perform blood tests to ensure there aren’t any hormonal issues, and a dermatologist can advise on the best hair removal methods for your skin type. Also, give you a magnifying glass and some tweezers. Age is nothing but a number…and a few thick black chin hairs.
