If you ask a woman about the most distinguishing feature that adds value to her face and beauty, it got to be her hair.
And why not! That is probably the only part of your face that you get to customize to that extent—long or short, straight or curls, plain or coloured—the experimentation could be endless.
However, hair at other places may not be a very welcome proposition if you ask. But we really can’t help something that nature has endowed us with, and besides, we have several ways to remove it. But what can be done if hair growth is detected at places where you normally wouldn’t expect it to appear?
And one such place which can cause considerable embarrassment is the chin. It is really a tricky area because you usually don’t notice it unless you strain your neck and push your head back. It is said that most of us get hair growth on the chin at least once in our life.
If you find such appearance of a stray hair occasionally, you may consider it normal, but if it is more in frequency and number, you could be having a health condition called Hirsutism.
Hirsutism is not a threatening condition by itself. However, it does indicate the underlying health issues that the body may be suffering from. Therefore, it is good to get the necessary checks done.
Given below are some reasons why you might find hair on the chin.
1. Your Genes
Your genetic makeup may influence your hair growth pattern. It is said that hirsutism is hereditary. If your maternal relatives like grandmother, mother, aunts or sisters had chin hair at a certain age, you are also likely to get it around the same time. It is also found to be more common in the regions of South Asia, Mediterranean, and the Middle East.
2. Hormonal Imbalances
The condition of hirsutism can also be associated with unusually higher levels of male hormones called androgens in the female body. Female bodies normally produce these male hormones, but usually, their levels are low and therefore nothing abnormal surfaces out of it. But if the female bodies produce higher amounts of androgen, then we can see the effects like chin hair, deeper voice, acne or smaller breasts in women.
3. Aging
Like the stages of puberty and pregnancy, the stage of menopause also goes through a lot of hormonal ups and downs. At this stage, women’s bodies produce less of estrogen hormones. If hair growth in the upper lip or on the chin is noticeable at this age, there are high chances of menopausal imbalances being the reason.
4. Polycystic Ovaries
Another deep-rooted hormonal imbalance seen in the women’s bodies is the Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. It causes irregularities in periods, weight gain, fertility issues due to cyst formation in the ovaries instead of healthy eggs, and of course hirsutism. If you are well in your reproductive age and find hair growth in the areas of the chin or the chest, you could probably get yourself checked for PCOS.
5. Cushing Syndrome
If the body produces an excess amount of the stress hormone cortisol or is exposed to medicines containing similar hormones, considerable changes can be seen in the body. Such changes can manifest through different organs and tissues, and together they are called as Cushing’s Syndrome. Hair growth in the chin is one such side-effect. Other effects can include diabetes, weight gain, and stretch marks, weakness in the muscles, poor growth in children, etc.
6.CAH or Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
This is a condition that is birth related. It is characterized by the deficiency of a vital enzyme that is needed for sex steroid hormone secretion from the adrenal glands. Due to this, the body triggers the excess production of male hormones and can cause anomalies in the development of sexual characteristics (primary as well as secondary) in the people affected. Its effects can be varied, like excess or absent pubic hair, irregular periods, abnormalities in the vaginal area, and of course increased facial hair, which includes chin hair as well.
How to Reduce Chin Hair
There are many ways to remove chin hair. The simplest and the fastest way is to use a plucker. You can also wax it or lighten it with bleach if the hair isn’t too long or coarse. Another option could be using epilators, but the long-term solution would be laser treatment. However, these are only superficial treatment options. They don’t address the deep-rooted hormonal issues that you might be facing. In the case of such hormonal imbalances, you can try bringing certain changes into your lifestyle. Severe hormonal problems would require the intervention of a doctor.
So, it is clear that chin hair is not a cosmetic problem, rather it is a health issue. If you ever get any chin hair, you can make use of the information shared here and be attentive to your symptoms to find a quick cure.
