Why Does My Body Hair Grow So Fast As a Female? (How to Stop it)

Body hair is men’s pride, whether on the head, face, back, chest, or legs. You don’t need to look far before attesting to this claim. Almost every year, the grooming industry earns millions of dollars in profit from men who are trying to grow their beards or stop their hair from falling off. If a man is past twenty and has scanty or no facial hair, he’s almost considered immature by his peers and has limited choices when it comes to women’s affairs.

But can we say the same thing for women? Certainly not. Facial hair, for most females, is a nightmare; it’s a turn-off for men, too. It’s even more worrisome when the hair grows thick and dark on body parts like the face and legs, where everyone can see it.

If you are a female in this shoe and reading this piece, I can imagine that it’s a problem for which you need an immediate solution. You probably have questions like, “What is wrong with me?” “While am I growing hairs on my body like a man?”

You will get answers to your puzzles in this post and even more. This article will help you with tips on how to remove your undesired body hair and look confident like the woman you’ve always wanted to be. But before we discuss the solution, let’s try to x-ray the problem and understand why you’re experiencing fast body hair growth as a female.

Table of Contents:

• Part 1: Why Do Some Females Grow Body Hair?
• Part 2: Treatment of Fast Body Hair Growth (how to stop it)
• Part 3: Other Methods

Part 1: Why Do Some Females Grow Body Hair?

Almost every change that occurs in our bodies is hormone-mediated. Hormones are body chemicals that signal the body cells to either turn on or off cellular actions. While men and women have pretty much the same hormones, some are dominant or more pronounced based on gender. Here is an example to drive home this point.

You’ve probably heard that estrogen is a female hormone; that is true! However, this hormone is also present in men, although at a very low level. The estrogen level in men has to be low; otherwise, men will start manifesting female secondary sexual characteristics. Females, however, need it in sufficient quantities to regulate the menstrual cycle and reach puberty.

In the same vein, the male sexual hormone androgen is present in women. It helps in their maturity and development, but it’s ideally not supposed to be dominant. Men need it in sufficient quantities to develop into adults and show the traits you would typically have in them. However, in women, androgens should not exceed a certain level. If it does, women may have deep voices like men and grow hair on the face, legs, and backs just like men. In other words, your fast body hair growth may be traceable to an abnormally high androgen level.

But that’s not all. Your androgen level may be perfect but your body may just be overly sensitive to it. This sensitivity may be due to your age, weight, lifestyle, or sudden body changes.

There are other rare causes of rapid body hair growth in women that scientists and doctors have identified. These include

1. Genetic Factor

Sometimes, it may not necessarily mean medical complications; genetics might actually be the factor. You might actually be worried about why your body hair grows so fast, and unknown to you, it may simply be genetic. You might have actually inherited body hair traits from your parents, siblings, or even distant relatives. Check well; it is possible you inherited the trait from one of your family members. So if it’s genetic, you might not have to worry much about complications, but you can actually do something to stop them if you find it unbearable.

2. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome is another factor that can cause your body’s hair to grow so fast. PCOS is a syndrome that causes the body to produce excessive androgen, thereby causing hirsutism in females. Research has it that about 10% of women who have reached childbearing age suffer from or might have suffered from this disorder. Further findings say that more than 70% of hirsutism cases happen as a result of polycystic ovary syndrome.

3. Medications

It is possible that you may start experiencing quick body hair growth when taking some medications. Some of the medications that can cause this include glucocorticosteroids, antipsychotic drugs, some immunosuppressive drugs,hormone stimulators like testosterone, and other drugs that stimulate or alter the production of hormones.

If you notice fast body hair growth after taking this medication, you should consult your doctor immediately to avoid further complications.

4. Tumors

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, 3 out of 10 hirsutism cases are caused by tumors. Tumors are believed to cause excessive release of androgen, hence leading to hirsutism. Other symptoms that may come with tumors include masses in the pelvis and stomach.

5.Thyroid disorder

A thyroid disorder can as well be the answer to your question: Why does my body hair grow so fast? The thyroid gland helps regulate body temperature and metabolism. Thyroid disorders are divided into two categories: hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. When your thyroid starts to malfunction, it can create a hormonal imbalance, which is one of the root causes of quick body hair growth, though it rarely occurs.

6. Hyperprolactinemia

Hyperprolactinemia is a medical condition that may cause the body to produce excessive and high levels of prolactin. Prolactin is a hormone responsible for breast milk production in adult females. In this case, the person may lactate even when they are not nursing mothers. In addition, such a person may be subjected to infertility and not see their monthly periods. That is hirsutism.

7. Nature

Most times, it can be nature. For example, East Indians often have it right from birth. Heredity can be the reason your hair grows so fast, so don’t hate it.

Part 2: Treatment of Fast Body Hair Growth (how to stop it)

It is true that quick hair growth can be irritating and stressful, especially having to shave them off every time. However, it does not cause the body any harm at all. So, is it your decision to stop it from growing too fast or lessen the growth rate? Treatment can vary as we all have different body types.

But before seeking treatment, it is important to know the root cause so you can determine which solutions work. You can do this by booking an appointment with your physician for a hirsutism test or examination.

The following are ways you can stop your body hair from going too fast:

1. Shaving

If it started manifesting some time ago, you might have done this several times. Shaving can be stressful, but it’s actually the best way to remove quick-growing body hair. When you shave it off, it starts growing right away, so you have to do it repeatedly and often.

 2. Waxing

If shaving it once every 2–3 days is too stressful, consider waxing it off. Waxing is often used to remove body hairs from their roots. This method should be used every 2–3 weeks for best results.

3. Lasing/IPL

A laser is placed on or pointed at the skin. Then, laser light damages the hair as the light absorbs the hair pigment. The method only works for specific people, especially those with light skin and dark hair. Plus, it takes a lot of sessions to get meaningful results. You can purchase at-home laser devices like the Ulike Sapphire Air 10 IPL Hair Removal Device to ease the stress of visiting a clinic or salon for your hair removal. With it, you can keep the hairs in check, and it doesn’t require the replacement of any part.

4. Bleaching

This method involves using chemicals to lighten the hair color so that it is less visible.

5. Electrolysis

Using this method, a needle is used to pull out the follicle. Then an electric current is passed through the needle to damage the follicle. This practice actually takes several sessions to get absolute results and can help lessen the hair growth for a long time.

6. Medicated cream

Most of the above options may not be easy to come by, but when you buy body creams that contain eflornithine, you may get a chance to treat hirsutism. Eflornithine present in some body creams can actually help slow down the growth rate of body hairs. You note that it is a continuous process that can fetch results in about 6–9 weeks, but the hair will go back to the old ways the moment you stop applying the cream.

7. Medications

Some medications can actually reduce the excessive production of hormones that aid hair growth. Though it takes up to 6 months or even more to yield better results, it can cause the hairs to fall out and regrow after a cycle, and it can last up to a month. Some of these medicines include antiandrogens and birth control pills. Antiandrogen pills can help regulate your androgen level, and birth control pills can also do the same job for women.

Part 3: Other Methods

1. Weight loss

Most hirsutism cases are found in plus-size or chubby people. Losing some weight sometimes reduces androgen levels in the body.

2. Treat the causing condition.

Treating the ailment causing your fast body hair growth may actually be a way of stopping it since it is sometimes a symptom of ailments like thyroid disorders, tumors, and several others.

3. Aging

A woman at least 30 or older often experiences a decrease in androgen, so aging can also help.

Bottom line

Body disorders like hormonal imbalances, thyroid problems, and several others may be why your body hair grows so fast. Also, it can actually be genetic, so it is necessary to know the root cause of your hirsutism before opting for treatment.