Just wondering if anyone has excess body hair?
I'm blonde however in the last ten years I've suffered so bad and it's dark thick wirey hair.
I've been advised years nothing can be done and it effects my confidence and lots more so much as even hair removal doesn't remove it's so tough I don't earn a lot and am a single parent so can't even get all the extreme treatments some may afford 😩
Sorry I can't help. For some reason (we'll age probably) my body hair is pretty much disappearing. Unfortunately I keep getting hairs on my chin which are a pain to keep on top of.
I tried creams etc but in the end used to just shave my legs and underarms - probably not the best way to do it but it was cheap and quick, then I found this fearsome little hand held machine with rotating blade things that rip out the stray hairs on my chin. Trouble with shaving your legs etc is that the ends get blunted so they are noticeable when the grow in.
I just ignore the hairs in my arms though,, they're not really all that obvious. I think some people bleach their hairs but Im afraid I don't know anything about that. Hope someone else can help.
Are you in the UK? If so, have you discussed this with your GP?
Depending on the cause of the problem, your GP may be able to prescribe something to help. But first the cause needs to be investigated because there are several possible causes.
Yes I'm in the uk and for years have been to see many doctors which all have advised some people get this and there's nothing they can do. 😪
I woke up in the middle of the night and though 'polycistic ovaries'. That can cause 'hairiness' is there any chance that could be your problem?
Well they checked me for that years back but said not yet I have all the symptoms x
I would press for blood tests to check your hormones and cortisol levels as there can be reasons for excessive hair and soul destroying mentally.
However it's you as a person that's important , .....
Hugs to all
It is. So embarrassing what to wear between the excessive (non smelly!!) sweating and the wirey dark hair as I'm so fair and blonde. X
Press GP go in with how daily life is affected how mentally affected ......I have adrenal insufficiency and body hair was always a problem...to the point kids at school would call me monkey!!
The balance of hormones is a fine line , maybe an endo referral might help if you also suffer from fatigue / low appetite
I am only referring to my personal experience our endocrine system is very complex yet intriguing ....
Hugs for you
Poor you! Why didn't your parents take you to have electrolysis for your hair problem? School can be quite a stressful place so I can imagine what you must have suffered.
You could maybe take this Wiki article to your doctor and point out the diagnosis and treatment section in case there's anything in there that hasn't been investigated or considered. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirsu...
Are you feeling fine in every other way? If you're not on the right amount of thyroid hormone replacement, that can certainly make things worse. In your previous post, you said your TSH was 4.16. That is too high for most people and strongly suggests you need a dose increase. Getting your thyroid levels optimal probably won't make it go away but it might well make a difference to the wiriness.
Another suggestion is to emphasis how much this affects your self esteem and ask for a referral to a mental health counsellor. Sometimes mental health clinicians are better at dealing with this sort of thing than normal GPs.
If you have a bit of money, why don't you try to get the hair either zapped through electrolysis or through laser treatment in the meantime. Laser treatment will be faster than electrolysis and you'll be the right person for it as I was told that it works better for light skin and dark hair.
While the doctors are trying to find the reason for your hirsutism, you can try and ask if you can't be sent to have one of these treatments free through the NHS?
I've asked this and my doc said it isn't possible via the Nhs. I'm a single mother and done earn enough to pay for this treatment or definitely would have. X
My hospital offers this treatment on the NHS, I was told. Why don't you phone a hospital and ask. I would like to know what response you get and if it's a positive one, then we'll try and find a solution. I have something in mind that might work if you find out that NHS offers such a service in your area.
I assume you are hypothyroid as I note from below your profile, levothyroxine etc. The doctors are wrong things can be tried - are they saving money to keep their budget in line and let you suffer on.
Hisuitism is too much male hormones and I cannot understand why the doctor hasn't referred you to a specialist if he is incapable of helping you
It is connected to hormones and you appear to have too many male ones due to, maybe PCOs or others and I don't know why your GP hasn't referred you to someone if he is incapable and just lets you carry on. He (if he it is) isn't bothered as he shaves every day and doesn't see the harm it does to your confidence.
This is an excerpt:
Medications are equally effective in all women.
●Birth control pills – Birth control pills lower the levels of androgens. They are usually the first choice for the treatment of hirsutism, and between 60 and 100 percent of women with hirsutism will notice improvement when taking these medications. Birth control pills can also help establish regular menstrual cycles in women who have irregular cycles or who do not menstruate at all. (See "Patient education: Hormonal methods of birth control (Beyond the Basics)".)
●Anti-androgens – Anti-androgens are medications that directly decrease androgen production or block the action of androgens on the hair follicle. Because these medications may cause birth defects, an effective form of birth control (eg, birth control pills) is required for sexually active premenopausal women who take antiandrogens.
uptodate.com/contents/hirsu...
Ask for a referral to a specialist if your doctor cannot prescribe.
Also ask for a new blood test for thyroid hormones as you may also need dose adjusted. Make the earliest appointment and fasting although you can drink water. Also leave about 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the test and take it afterwards.
Tell your GP you are taking your own health into your own hands as you want to get better to enable your child to have a healthy mother instead of an ailing one.
TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3, and thyroid antibodies. Vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate. You deserve all of these tests because when you get well you and your child will have a better quality of life. 
Get a print-out with the ranges and post for comments.
I'm on holiday with my Mam for a week so as soon as I get back that is what I am going to do. Thank you all so much for your advice. Helps a lot xx
Enjoy your holiday with your Mam and you might be reinvigorated when your batteries charged to get your hypothyroidism under control and your hair problem. I don't know why they've helped you before now.
You are entitled. When first unwell and we see doctor, there's no reason to disbelieve them, but when it comes to hormones and we aren't improving and, like you going on the internet, you find out far more than you imagined.
So, when you return follow the procedure for a new blood test and tell your doctor your Free T4 and Free T3 are important but sometimes the lab doesn't do them all even if he/she requests but we will take that step if it comes to that. As well as the blood tests etc for hypothyroidism, ask for a scan of your ovaries and this is an excerpt I've just read (I am not medically qualified). Excerpt:
Best Answer: PCOS cannot be detected in a pap smear. PCOS doesn't affect the cervix, so a pap smear would not find it. Your abnormal pap smear is not related to PCOS.
PCOS is a syndrome, which means it is a set of different symptoms and you don't have to have all of them to have PCOS. Some of the most common symptoms include irregular periods, fertility problems, dark patches of skin, acne, thinning scalp hair, body hair growth, obesity, and skin tags. It is diagnosed based on symptoms and blood tests of your hormone levels. Your doctor may also order a glucose tolerance test or insulin test because in many women, PCOS is thought to be caused by insulin resistance (IR). IR is a condition in which the cells don't use insulin as quickly as they should, so the body releases more insulin because it "thinks" more is needed. Blood sugar levels are eventually brought to normal (unlike in diabetes, in which levels remain too high), but excessive insulin is left in the bloodstream. This excessive insulin is thought to cause the ovaries to produce too many male hormones, leading to PCOS. A glucose tolerance test or an insulin test will check for IR.
Are you stressed? Progesterone converts to testesterone when under stress. This happened to my teenage daughter. This is why you have all symptoms of pco but didnt test positive? Worth looking into x
This definitely needs investigating. It is remiss of the doctor to be so dismissive. excess hair is a symptom of polycystic ovaries which are detected through an ultrasound scan and blood tests. It is also implicated in adrenal problems so this also needs to be looked at.
Just seen all the other replies re PCOS so apologies for repetition of info...
Hair loss
