What is hypertrichosis and how to treat it. Hypertrichosis: how is it inherited, signs of the disease, treatment Can a female have hypertrichosis

This is a pathology that manifests itself in excess hair growth, not characteristic of sex, body area or age. At the same time, thin, colorless vellus hair becomes coarse and pigmented. The most common is considered congenital hypertrichosis.

Among women abnormal hair growth is observed in the area of the buttocks, thighs, chest, limbs and on the face. Fusion of the eyebrows is a symptom of limited hypertrichosis.

Often, hypertrichosis is accompanied by weakness in the legs, loss of limb sensitivity.

Local congenital hypertrichosis is manifested by the presence of hair on the birthmark or in the form of a bundle of long hair in the lumbar region.

Complications of hypertrichosis

Hypertrichosis is a pronounced cosmetic defect that affects the quality of life and causes serious psychological problems that can result in persistent depression. By itself, hypertrichosis is not dangerous, the survival rate for this pathology is 100%.

Prevention of hypertrichosis

In order to minimize the risk of hypertrichosis, you should heed the recommendations of doctors:

1 Before starting new medications, read the summary carefully and assess the risk of side effects;
2 try to avoid frequent exposure to the skin of traumatic factors that stimulate blood circulation. This applies to modern cosmetic and depilatory procedures: cryotherapy, shugaring, wax depilation, shaving;
3 do not abuse hormonal creams and ointments;
4 avoid stress and emotional overload;
5 promptly treat endocrine diseases;
6 timely treatment of hormonal pathologies.

If you experience abnormal hair growth, see your doctor, as hypertrichosis can be a harbinger of a tumor.

To prevent the congenital form of hypertrichosis, pregnant women should give up bad habits, walk a lot in the fresh air, and avoid intense physical activity.

Massage, paraffin applications, mud therapy, mustard plasters and the use of nourishing creams are contraindicated for those suffering from hypertrichosis.

Treatment of hypertrichosis in mainstream medicine

Drug treatment will be effective only if the cause of hypertrichosis is clearly established. After collecting anamnesis and determining the hormonal background, an endocrinologist or gynecologist prescribes treatment aimed at stabilizing the patient's mental state and correcting hormonal disorders. If the disease was provoked by medications, then the doctor will select analogs with milder side effects. If the cause of the disease is polycystic ovary disease, then the gynecologist prescribes appropriate treatment. If hypertrichosis provoked stress or a nervous breakdown, then the doctor will select antidepressants to stabilize the emotional background. Congenital hypertrichosis is not amenable to treatment.

As a symptomatic treatment, hair removal is a good option. But hair removal gives only a short-term effect. You can bleach your hair with dyes or hydrogen peroxide.

Useful foods for hypertrichosis

Abnormal hair growth is one of the signs of hormonal imbalance. Proper nutrition for hypertrichosis will help balance the body's hormonal system.

If the patient is obese, then he needs to increase physical activity, minimize the use of easily digestible carbohydrates, give preference to fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs.

Traditional medicine for hypertrichosis

Grind 50-60 fresh raspberry leaves and place in a liter jar, add 0.5 liters of vodka, leave for 9-10 days and drink 10-12 drops 3 times a day;
chop the dried root of white acacia, mix ½ teaspoon of raw materials with 1 tbsp. boiling water and cook for 4-5 minutes, then infuse for 1 hour. Drink the resulting broth before meals for 1/3 cup;
within 6 months, rub the places of abnormal hair growth with horse chestnut seed juice;
treat hair with unripe walnut juice;
burn walnuts, dissolve ash in water and lubricate areas of abnormal hair growth;
milkweed juice fights well with increased hairiness;
for 2 weeks, insist in the sun on a glass of partition vodka from 15 walnuts. Take 1 tbsp. spoon daily;
Mix 100 g of unripe walnut juice with 10 g of tar, close the lid tightly and leave in a dark place for 3 weeks, treat the skin twice a day;
Pour 150 g of dope herb into 1 liter of water and boil for 10-15 minutes. With the resulting broth, lubricate the places of hair growth;

Hypertrichosis is a rare disorder that causes an increase in body and facial hair. This disease is not harmful to health. Rather, it is considered an aesthetic defect. Pathology occurs in both adults and children. It occurs in people of both sexes.

Hypertrichosis - what is it?

In medicine, the term hypertrichosis is used to identify this disease. Literally from Greek “hyper” means “hyper”, and “trichos” means “hair”. In other words, we are talking about an excessive number of them. More specifically, hypertrichosis is the overgrowth of coarse hair. About twenty types of such a violation are known. Generalized hypertrichosis can be:

Congenital- occurs in a baby whose mother is affected by certain adverse factors during pregnancy.
Universal- characterized by increased hair growth and thickening in those parts of the body where they grow more often.
Acquired- more often occurs with hepatitis or porphyria, or is a side effect of taking certain medications.
Prepubertal- in healthy children, it passes as they grow.

There are the following types of localized hypertrichosis:

congenital - long hair grows in areas where it should not be;
acquired - occurs after prolonged irritation of a particular area of the skin (for example, when wearing a splint after a fracture).

Hypertrichosis - how is it inherited?

This disease can be transmitted from both the father and the mother. In addition, the manifestation of pathology does not depend on the sex of the person. Hypertrichosis is inherited as a Y-linked trait. In other words, the character is the same as that of the recessive gene. If one of the parents is diagnosed with this pathology, the baby will not necessarily have increased "hairiness". The disease can manifest itself in representatives of the next generation.

Hirsutism and hypertrichosis - the difference

The first and second pathologies are characterized by excessive hair growth. However, hypertrichosis and hirsutism have significant differences. For example, if the first pathology develops in both men and women, then the second - only in the fair sex. Essentially, hirsutism is a male-type hypertrichosis. This disease affects about 5% of women. According to the etiology of development, hirsutism is of the following types:

family - is hereditary;
ovarian - develops with polycystic ovary;
adrenal - occurs with hyperplasia of the adrenal cortex;
pituitary - observed in Cushing's syndrome.

Hypertrichosis - symptoms

This disease is characterized by a clearly expressed clinical picture. The disease of hypertrichosis in women occurs with the following symptoms:

the appearance of hard hairs on the chin and other areas of the face;
fusion of eyebrow arches;
growing "stubble" on the arms and legs;
the appearance of tuft hairs on moles;
their intensive growth in the lumbar region and around the mammary glands.

Along with this, follicular hyperkeratosis and dark pigmentation in certain areas of the skin can be observed on the body. At the same time, there is a weakening and violation of the sensitivity of the limbs. In men, hypertrichosis is diagnosed less often than in women. Most often, it manifests itself either immediately after birth or during adolescence. Strong hair growth is accompanied by such hypertrichosis: the photos testify to this. Most of all "vegetation" covers the shoulders, abdomen, arms and legs, chest, a little less often - the face.

Hypertrichosis - causes

This pathology can be caused by the following factors:

hereditary predisposition;
gene mutations;
taking certain medications;
hypertrichosis during stress also occurs;
pregnancy.

Hypertrichosis in women - causes

This pathological condition is caused by a number of factors. More often, hypertrichosis in women is accompanied by a symptom of Gabrielle or a malignant tumor. At the same time, intensive hair growth can be observed long before cancer formation is diagnosed. There are other reasons provoking the onset of this ailment. These include the following factors:

(for example, during adolescence or menopause);
endocrine disorders caused by diseases of the thyroid gland, ovaries, pituitary gland;
nervous;
taking hormonal drugs, including contraceptives;
fasting or strict diets;
fungal skin lesions.

Hypertrichosis in men

This disease can be provoked by such drugs:

Cuprenil;
Psoralen;
Diazoxide;
Phenytoin;
Cetuximab;
steroid medicines.

Hyperthyroidism and hair loss can also be caused by:

intense nervous shock;
excess production of testosterone;
trauma to the skull;
dermatomyositis;
alcoholism;
tuberculosis.

Hypertrichosis in children

The problem is provoked by both external and internal factors. Hypertrichosis in newborns is caused by the following reasons:

pathologies during pregnancy;
genetic predisposition;
infectious diseases of the mother;
taking certain medications by a woman while carrying a baby.

In an older child, hypertrichosis occurs for the following reasons:

malignant neoplasms;
endocrine disorders;
problems in the work of the central nervous system;
trauma to a specific area of the body.

Hypertrichosis - diagnosis

To make a precise diagnosis, just an external examination is not enough. This requires consultation of a dermatologist, endocrinologist and gynecologist (when a woman has a problem). If a tumor is not detected in the body, a follow-up study is prescribed. Hypertrichosis analyzes involve the following:

biochemical;
hormone;
general blood analysis.

Hypertrichosis - treatment

Therapy for this disease directly depends on the cause that triggered its development. It is unrealistic to cure a genetic disease with medication: with the help of correctly selected medicines, you can only minimize its manifestation. As for the acquired forms of the disease, everything is much better here. People with hypertrichosis have a reasonable hope of getting rid of the disease. With excess hair growth, the following methods of dealing with abundant "vegetation" can be used:

Shaving- This is one of the most common and at the same time ineffective techniques. A huge disadvantage is that after the procedure, the hair grows back quickly.
- the effect lasts up to four weeks. However, this method is very painful. Manipulation is not recommended if there are scratches, burns and other injuries on the skin.
Depilatory creams- the result after their use can last from 1 to 2 weeks. The disadvantage of this remedy is that it cannot be used in areas with increased skin sensitivity.
- one of the most expensive methods of dealing with excess hair growth. The effect can last for 5-6 months. However, laser hair removal is not done if the hair is light. In addition, contraindications are diabetes mellitus and malignant tumors.
Electrolysis- expensive manipulation. During it, a needle is inserted into the follicle at a right angle. An electric current is supplied through it, which destroys the root system. Next, dead hairs are removed with tweezers. To achieve the desired result, you need to carry out a sufficient number of procedures.

This disease requires a professional approach. Do not self-medicate! In addition, if everything is left to chance, it is fraught with the following complications:

persistent depression;
low self-esteem;
aggravation of the condition (increased hair growth and thickening).

To minimize the risk of an acquired disease, it is important to adhere to the following recommendations:

Carefully study the annotation for new drugs. Weigh the existing risks.
Use hormonal ointments only as directed by your doctor.
Try to avoid traumatic factors.
At the first signs of a disturbance in the work of the endocrine system, consult a doctor.

Hyperhidrosis - drugs

Appointment in each case is individual. An exception is genetic hypertrichosis. Depending on the reasons that provoked the development of this disease, the following groups of drugs can be prescribed:

antidepressants that help to overcome feelings of depression and depression (Tianeptin, Doxepin);
sedatives (Maprotiline, Imipramine);
plant-based sedatives (Persen, Novo-Passit);
non-steroidal antiandrogenic drugs (Histidil).

Hyperthyroidism - folk remedies

Alternative methods, although considered safe, should be used under the supervision of a doctor. He knows how hyperthyroidism is treated and how folk remedies will interact with prescribed medications. More often, herbal preparations are prescribed for these purposes. The effect of their consumption will be only if they are used for a long time.

St. John's wort with hypertrichosis

Ingredients:

grass - 1 tablespoon;
water - 500 ml.

Preparation, application

Raw materials are poured with boiling water, insisted for 15-20 minutes and filtered.
The finished drug is divided into 2 doses. They drink it early in the morning and in the evening. The drug is used to strengthen the central nervous system in women. The therapeutic course is 2 weeks.

How to prepare clover infusion?

Ingredients.

- This is excess hair growth on any part of the body, including those where hair growth is not caused by the action of androgens. Unlike hirsutism, which is observed only in women, hypertrichosis is diagnosed in both sexes in different age categories. The cause of hypertrichosis can be congenital mutations due to various adverse effects on the fetus during pregnancy. Hypertrichosis can develop with some diseases, as a result of TBI, with the use of a number of medications. Diagnosis of hypertrichosis involves a comprehensive dermatological and hormonal examination of the patient. Treatment depends on the etiology of hypertrichosis. Removal of overgrown hair is possible with electrolysis.

General information

Causes of hypertrichosis

Genetic mutations, in which the structure of epithelial cells changes and they acquire the ability to transform into epidermal cells, are a common cause of hypertrichosis. The wrong course of pregnancy, infectious diseases in the first trimester lead to mutations, then the mutated gene is fixed in the genome and becomes the cause of hypertrichosis in subsequent generations.

Modern observations in the field of trichology suggest that symptoms of hypertrichosis may appear due to the awakening of hair follicles, which is a harbinger of malignant tumors. Sometimes hypertrichosis is detected several years before the appearance of the tumor, and in 90% of patients with hypertrichosis, various oncological processes are revealed over time.

The use of drugs from the group of streptomycins, cephalosporins, penicillins, corticosteroids and psoralen have side effects in the form of signs of hypertrichosis. Hypertrichosis is one of the symptoms of craniocerebral trauma, dermatomycosis, epidermolysis bullosa. With nervous exhaustion and anorexia nervosa, the symptoms of hypertrichosis can be especially pronounced.

After injuries, including thermal ones, local hypertrichosis can be noted at the site of the scar. At the same time, the rest of the body has a normal hairline. Traumatic hypertrichosis can result from the constant pulling of facial hair. As a result, vellus hair coarsens, becomes thicker and darker, their more pronounced growth is noted.

Skeletal malformations, such as spina bifida and mental malformations, are often associated with clinical manifestations of hypertrichosis.

Clinical manifestations of hypertrichosis

Hypertrichosis is manifested by excessive hair growth in areas where it is not considered the norm, taking into account age, gender and ethnicity. Thus, the growth of hair on the legs and thighs in Mediterranean women is the norm. But the same manifestation in girls and representatives of Asian peoples is already a manifestation of hypertrichosis.

In men, hypertrichosis is manifested by excessive hair growth on the back and shoulders and is a symptom of atavism. In the form of atavism, hypertrichosis manifests itself immediately after birth. The infant has a large amount of long or vellus hair. In this case, the face and palms can also be covered with hair. Previously, such children were killed, but now hypertrichosis is successfully treated.

In children, hypertrichosis is more often diagnosed with nevi. Limited hypertrichosis in children and adults can manifest as a fusion of the eyebrows. In men, hypertrichosis manifests itself as excess hair growth on the face, back, and legs.

Diagnosis and treatment of hypertrichosis

For an accurate diagnosis of hypertrichosis, manifestations alone are not enough. It is necessary to exclude the hormonal nature of the disease and hirsutism. In addition to visiting a dermatologist, you will need to be examined by an endocrinologist and gynecologist. As a result, an individual scheme for the treatment of hypertrichosis is selected.

If no hormonal disorders have been identified, then the treatment of hypertrichosis is to remove hair. Self-correction of hypertrichosis in the facial area using tweezers and wax plates leads to increased symptoms. The only reliable treatment for hypertrichosis is electrical hair removal.

In particular, in children, before the end of puberty, hair bleaching with 3% hydrogen peroxide is used to correct hypertrichosis, or excess hair is removed with the help of special creams.

For the period of correction of hypertrichosis with the help of electric epilation, it is necessary to abandon other methods of hair removal. A needle, bent at a right angle, is inserted deep into the follicle and an electric shock is applied to the hair follicle. They also act on several nearby hairs. After removing the needle, the hairs are carefully removed with tweezers. They must come out on their own without any effort, otherwise the procedure must be repeated. An electrolysis session for hypertrichosis takes about half an hour. In one session, from several to several dozen hairs are removed, depending on the patient's sensitivity to the procedure. With hypertrichosis of the chin, about 60 procedures are done during the year, the epilation of the area above the upper lip will take from three months to six months, after which the symptoms of hypertrichosis will disappear without a trace. Many resort to this procedure for hirsutism, but this is ineffective, since pathology occurs due to hormonal disorders, and the hair grows back.

If epilation with hypertrichosis is painful, then they resort to local anesthesia. Post-procedure edema and slight erythema subside within a day. For the entire period of electrolysis, it is necessary to use sunscreen to prevent punctate hyperpigmentation. Electrolysis is used for hypertrichosis of the chest, abdomen and pubis, since ordinary shaving and hair removal with wax leads to more intense hair growth.

Since the main cause of hypertrichosis is gene mutation, research in the field of genome correction will help develop new methods of treating hypertrichosis in which subsequent generations will be spared the likelihood of its occurrence.

Everyone wants to preserve their natural beauty as long as possible, but what to do if nature has cheated you in some way and your appearance is not at all what you would like? Unfortunately, this can happen for various reasons, but in this case there is I mean such a phenomenon as hypertrichosis or simply: increased body hair growth. What kind of disease it is, how it manifests itself and how to deal with it, you will find out by reading our article to the end.

The term "hypertrichosis" means excessive growth of hair on any part of the human body, in particular, even in those places where the appearance of hair is not provided for by the action of male sex hormones - androgens.

All regrown hairs are usually dark and thick, and although men are more likely to suffer from their mass appearance (the ailment is associated precisely with the Y chromosome), this problem is often found in females, so this problem can be considered a common problem.

What is different from hirsutism

Many people consider hirsutism hypertrichosis to be almost the same concepts, however, if you analyze the features and places of hair appearance, the difference will be obvious.

The first disease is diagnosed exclusively in women, while the second is typical for both sexes at any age. In addition, hirsutism is manifested only by hair growth of usually male zones (face, chest, abdomen, back, nipple zones, etc.), but hypertrichosis is not excluded in other zones.

Did you know? The second name of the disease is "werewolf syndrome", and if in our time people are more confused by the aesthetic nature of the problem, then in the Middle Ages women and men with this disease were recognized as messengers of the devil and were sentenced to death.

Causes and risk factors

Despite the fact that hypertrichosis is not considered a very common disease, many people are interested in the reasons for its manifestation. Contrary to popular belief, this rather interesting phenomenon is not a consequence of pathology, when a very high content of male hormones is found in the blood, which affect the increase in hair growth in androgenic areas, but has other reasons, since it can be noted on any part of the body.

Among the causes of the disease known today, there are:

genetic pathologies, including abnormalities of the central nervous system and skeletal system due to viral diseases suffered by the mother in the early stages of pregnancy (in this case, hypertrichosis is one of the symptoms);
spinal dysraphia- a congenital ailment that occurs due to a violation of the development of the neural tube of the fetus during intrauterine life (often manifested by the appearance of an excessive amount of hair on the lower back);
neurofibromatosis- characterized by the appearance of uncharacteristic long hairs in the chest area and is a serious hereditary ailment;
metabolic problems and hormone imbalance, which is often associated with certain periods of a person's life (for example, changes in the body of adolescents), a woman carrying a baby or problems with the endocrine glands (for example, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, malignant neoplasms of the adrenal glands, thyroid gland, ovaries);
neoplasms in the brain and mammary glands;
serious mental disorders and psychoemotional abnormalities(among the most common - epilepsy);
scarring of the skin in places of injury and constant mechanical impact on the same part of the body (blood flow accelerates in this place, which is why stimulation of hair follicles is observed);
premature puberty.

In addition, increased hair formation can also be affected by constant cosmetic and medical procedures that increase blood flow to the hair follicles: for example, paraffin therapy, pepper patches, mustard plasters, the use of ointments with glucocorticosteroids, prolonged massages, cryotherapy, etc. any hair-pulling procedures, especially on the face.

Based on the specific cause of hypertrichosis, one can also judge its form: congenital or acquired.

Important! When assessing the condition of a person with a high level of hair growth, one should also take into account such a factor as nationality, because what will be the norm for some peoples, for representatives of others, is likely to turn out to be manifestations of hypertrichosis (for example, excessive hair formation is characteristic of residents Caucasus, Israel and citizens of Arab states, while for Europeans this is already a pathology).

Classification

You can acquire hypertrichosis only in two main ways: to be born with it, or to get it in the process of life due to certain factors. At the same time, many experts consider the latter option not so scary, since getting rid of it is much easier than from congenital pathology.

If a child is born with increased hair growth, then, most likely, there was a genetic mutation that caused a change in the epithelial cells, which more and more acquire the characteristics of the epidermis. This usually happens due to infectious diseases that a woman carries in the early stages of pregnancy, the development of preeclampsia, or the threat of premature termination.

There are also cases when, in the absence of obvious signs of hypertrichosis, a baby is a carrier of a damaged gene and is able to pass it on to his offspring.

Today, many forms of congenital hereditary ailment are distinguished, which are already noticeable at the birth of a baby: for example, hair growth can be universal cannon or embryonic, which further progresses strongly in puberty and remains with a person until the end of his life.

In most cases, in such babies, at first, the junction of the hair and eyebrows is clearly visible, but with further development, during the neonatal period and early childhood, the area of hair growth increases, and only the palms and feet become the exception. The length of soft vellus hairs may well reach ten centimeters.

In some cases, the congenital form of the disease is not immediately noticeable, but only after 2-7 years of the baby's life. A thick, thin, long, pigmented hairline begins to grow at an incredible rate, in some situations combined with adentia (lack of tooth growth), dystrophy, central nervous system problems and other defects.

True, variants of the isolated form are quite possible, when the disease is not associated with other anomalies and manifests itself only at puberty or in the involutionary period.

Among the congenital forms of the described disease, it is worth highlighting the local form, which is expressed in the appearance of strongly curly long hairs of different colors on the pigmented part of the body: a birthmark with hairs or a “faun's bundle” in the sacrum area (the result of a pathological condition of the sacral area of the spine).

Important! The risk of a congenital form increases if the disease has already occurred in someone in the family (if after one generation, then the risk of development in a future baby is 50%). Transmission of the disease is possible from any parent.

As the name suggests, unlike the congenital form of hypertrichosis, its acquired variant manifests itself at any time in a person's life and has no genetic explanation. The main subspecies of this ailment are:

Acquired cannon-type hypertrichosis, when the embryonic hair can reach a length of 15 cm in just two to three months (increased hair growth is noticeable first on the face, and then the growth of hairs is noticeable throughout the body, leaving only the palms and feet intact). In almost 100% of situations, it is this hypertrichosis that acts as an early evidence of the development of neoplasms in the lungs, urinary or gall bladders, and the uterus.
Acquired traumatic disease- appears in the area of injury, on scars, places of damage to peripheral nerves (usually combined with hyperhidrosis), or at points of prolonged exposure to pepper plasters, plaster casts, ointments and other similar cosmetics and medicines (for women, one of the most common causes is hair removal, depilation, paraffin therapy and mud applications).
Medicinal hypertrichosis- a consequence of the use of certain external drugs: for example, "Psoriazin", ointments based on glucocorticosteroids, "Antipsoriaticum", "Danazol", "Minoxidil", "Cyclosporin" and some other drugs that stimulate hair growth. Sometimes increased hair growth is the result of the use of androgenic, anabolic and anti-tuberculosis drugs.
Neurogenic hypertrichosis- due to a negative effect on the peripheral nerve, or any part of the spinal cord.
Symptomatic variety occurs as a symptom tuberculosis (in children it is often noticeable between the shoulder blades), malignant neoplasms in the brain, certain chromosomal ailments, diabetes mellitus, certain mental diseases in women (hair grows mainly under the nose or on the chin), hypothalamic-pituitary syndrome and other ailments ... Sometimes symptomatic hypertrichosis progresses actively with neurofibromatosis and dermatomyositis.

To eliminate any of these problems, you first need to get rid of its specific cause. In some cases, it is easier to do, in others it is a little more difficult, but if you want to feel good and look great, then treatment is simply necessary.

How and on what parts of the body is it manifested

Despite the similarity of the problem in representatives of different sex and age, the features of the manifestation of hypertrichosis still have their own differences. Let's find out which ones.

Among women

In the presence of the problem of increased hair growth in women, excessive hair growth is usually noted on the chin, in the area of the nasolabial folds, decollete, genitals and over the entire surface of the extremities. By the way, in the so-called "bikini zone", the area of hair growth expands in the male pattern.

The local varieties of hypertrichosis in the fairer sex include, for example, a problem localized in different parts of the sternum, and the same prothoracic variant may not be an independent ailment, but only a symptom of another disease (often neurofibromatosis, combined with a depressed sternum).

The local lumbar manifestation of hypertrichosis is sometimes associated with spinal dysraphia, that is, non-closure of the spinal column. With such a problem, a bunch of soft and long hairy vegetation will be present in the affected area.

Usually, the female variant of hypertrichosis is complemented by other, neurological symptoms, in the form of weakness in the limbs, sphincter insufficiency and loss of sensitivity. You can get rid of most of these problems only with the help of surgery.

With increased facial hair, the eyebrow area is usually affected (grow together), and this problem is often noted in several members of the same family.

The local variant of female hypertrichosis, as well as male hypertrichosis, provides for the presence of congenital malformations and manifests itself in rather large hair birthmarks called nevi. In some cases, they are covered with colorless vellus hairs, and in others - dark and hard.

Did you know? Astrologers believe that the location of moles and birthmarks on the body can tell a lot about the fate and character of their owners. For example, a mole on the cheek indicates a benevolent and hardworking person, while a similar mark on the nose would be considered a sign of irascibility and passion.

In men

Male hypertrichosis takes about 14% of the total number of cases of this deviation. Usually it is expressed in increased hair growth in areas with standard, male hair growth, but in this case there is a lot of hair. So, often the disease manifests itself on the back, shoulder area, legs and is considered a sign of atavism, accompanying boys from the hospital. However, as in the case of the female sex, options for the total growth of the hairline are possible.

In children

In childhood, hypertrichosis is usually associated with nevi and is a congenital pathology (pronounced signs of the disease throughout the body are rare: in about one case per billion births) .

In such children, the entire cannon cover, which normally should have disappeared during the prenatal period, does not disappear and is clearly visible in the first minutes of the baby's life. However, if slight pubescence can still disappear in the next few weeks of the baby's life, then abnormally hard, dark and densely growing hairs remain with the child for many years.

If the baby has no problems with the endocrine system and there are no signs of malignant or benign neoplasms, then hypertrichosis does not threaten anything, being only an aesthetic problem.

Did you know? Until the end of puberty, the correction of the disease in children is carried out by bleaching the hair with a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide, or removing the hairline with special creams.

The appearance of excess vegetation in the nasal cavity and auricles is one of the most common variants of hypertrichosis, however, mainly in males.

Causes

The main reason for the development of the problem is an increased amount of androgens in the blood, and this feature may well be inherited: during the gestation of a baby, under the influence of some external factor, a gene mutation occurs that is responsible for the strength of hair growth of the skin, and after joining Y- chromosome, the disease will be transmitted to future boys born in this family.

In the absence of other physiological pathologies, no special treatment is needed in this case, standard cosmetic manipulations will be sufficient.

In female representatives, this pathology is rare and in most cases develops against the background of excessive hair growth, which manifests itself in the growth of a beard, mustache and hard cover in the back, abdomen and chest.

Such virilism is often diagnosed in certain endocrine and neuroendocrine ailments, or as an individual feature in completely healthy women. In the latter case, the main possible causes are an increase in the secretion of androgens or an increased sensitivity of body tissues to their effects.

Signs

The congenital form of hypertrichosis immediately after the birth of the baby may not manifest itself in any way. Normally, the body of a newborn is already covered with a thick layer of cannon - lanugo, which disappears on its own after a few weeks or months (no more than four).

If the boy has a hereditary predisposition to hypertrichosis of the auricles, then the first signs of pathology will be noticeable only by the age of 17, as soon as the hormonal changes in the body come to its logical conclusion and the content of hormones in the blood remains at a consistently high level.

In the case when, even before this age, increased hair growth in the ear area was not observed, then, most likely, the first signs will appear after 35 years. Moreover, it is likely that in this case the increased hair growth will coincide with the baldness of the head, arising from an overabundance of androgens in the blood.

Hair can appear both along the edge of the ear shell and on the skin of the external auditory canal. Usually, this feature does not cause any trouble, although there are those who consider it a significant cosmetic defect.

Diagnostics

Hypertrichosis is not always an independent disease, therefore, in order to get rid of its unpleasant manifestations, you first have to carry out a comprehensive diagnosis of all organs and systems of your body.

Medical examination

The first specialists to be visited in case of increased hair growth are a dermatologist, endocrinologist and gynecologist, because it is their diagnostic methods that most often help determine the problem of excessive hair growth.

Each of the doctors will conduct a full examination and give his opinion, after which it will be possible to judge the nature of everything that happens. If none of them detect traces of hormonal imbalance, then the treatment of hypertrichosis will be performed only by hair removal.

Important! Attempts to independently solve the problem can lead to its aggravation, because not all methods of removing unwanted vegetation can be used in each specific case. What is better to choose - the cosmetologist will tell you.

Analyzes

The first and main task for confirming or refuting the diagnosis of hypertrichosis is to check the level of male hormones in the blood, for which, in fact, a biochemical blood test is performed. Its results also give an idea of the level of the prevailing pathological process: in the presence of congenital hypertrichosis, already from this study, conclusions can be drawn about a developing ailment of an endocrine nature. Of course, having dealt with it, you will also solve the problem of increased hair growth.

In addition, a clinical blood test is mandatory and hair samples are analyzed to determine their mineral composition.

Surveys

Each of the above-mentioned specialists can also appoint their own specialized examinations. This can be an ultrasound of the pelvic organs (in women) and the thyroid gland, CT, MRI of the brain, and even an X-ray. The main task of doctors, especially if an increased level of androgens is not observed in the blood, is to exclude the possible development of oncology and other serious problems, since many of them have symptoms similar to hypertrichosis.

Basics of treatment

As soon as it is possible to determine the true cause of the increased growth of body hair, you can proceed to the direct elimination of the problem. Depending on the results of all the examinations passed and the tests passed, there will be two options for solving the problem: either drug therapy to solve the root cause (for example, problems with the thyroid gland), or cosmetic procedures.

Drug therapy

A gynecologist, endocrinologist or the same dermatologist, when studying the patient's condition and the characteristics of the course of the disease, should choose the most adequate treatment. So, if a person has been diagnosed with an endocrine disease, then all prescribed medications should be aimed at eliminating any endocrine disorders.

Corrective drug therapy is selected individually for each patient, because cosmetic procedures alone will not be able to bring the desired effect. The same applies to gynecological problems, for example, polycystic ovary disease.

Depending on the severity and characteristics of the course of a particular disease, its treatment can be quite extended in time, so you need to be patient and tune yourself only to a positive outcome of the case.

Important! If there is a gynecological or endocrine underlying cause of hypertrichosis, shaving, waxing, or other methods of removing unwanted vegetation are likely to exacerbate the problem: the hair will grow back stiffer and thicker.

Cosmetology procedures

This option to combat increased body hair is used as a symptomatic solution to the problem.

If after all the diagnostic procedures passed, the real cause of hypertrichosis was not found, then all that remains is to get rid of the irritating vegetation using the old and proven method - epilation.

In this case, the most optimal solution to the problem would be electric hair removal, and, based on the threshold of pain sensitivity of a person, it can take place both without the use of anesthesia, and with local anesthesia.

The essence of the procedure is as follows: a special needle is inserted into the follicle of each hair on the selected area of the body, after which the device delivers an electric discharge, destroying the bulb. Hair that no longer has anything to feed on falls out on its own.

On average, one such session of hair removal takes up to half an hour, but more specific time costs are determined by the area of influence and the characteristics of the structure of the hair.

This method is able to completely relieve a person of all visible manifestations of hypertrichosis, and among the shortcomings, one can single out only the comparative pain of the procedure performed and the duration of treatment. For example, in order to completely get rid of the manifestations of hypertrichosis in the chin area, you will have to go through at least 60 sessions during the year.

If we are talking about children and adolescents suffering from increased body hair, then electric hair removal is completely contraindicated for them. In this case, the hair is removed by applying special creams (chemical depilation), and to make it less noticeable, peroxide lightening can be used.

Possible complications

If the root cause of increased hair growth is not any cancer or other serious ailments, then the main complications include psychological problems, expressed in low self-esteem and the complexity of building social relationships.

Usually children and adolescents suffer the most from psychological discomfort, although depression associated with the current state is not excluded in adulthood.

If the development of hypertrichosis is based on any endocrine or gynecological problem, then, in addition to psychological issues, a person's physical condition may worsen, up to the appearance of infertility, problems with excess weight (often explained by hormonal imbalances), etc.

Prophylaxis

To reduce the risk of congenital hypertrichosis, the expectant mother is advised to give up all bad habits, spend more time outdoors, visit doctors regularly and follow all their prescriptions.

As for the prevention of the acquired form of the disease, it is very important to consult a specialist in a timely manner to diagnose and treat hormonal abnormalities or any other disease that can lead to increased hair growth in certain parts of the body.

Hypertrichosis is not a sentence, but a rather unpleasant problem, therefore, the sooner you start looking for its causes and solutions, the better it will be for you.

Watch a video about congenital hypertrichosis

Hypertrichosis is a pathological condition marked by excessive hair growth in areas of the human body that, by definition, should not have hair. The disease can manifest itself in patients of both sexes, regardless of their age, and are characterized by too many long and thick hair. There are many reasons for this pathology, but the most common of them is a genetic predisposition. This disease does not threaten the patient's life, being only a serious cosmetic defect and becoming a psychological problem. There are quite a few effective techniques that allow you to quickly and efficiently get rid of unwanted hair.

Causes of hypertrichosis

A disease such as hypertrichosis is a congenital or acquired pathology. In most cases, it is a consequence of gene mutations in epithelial cells. The reasons for these changes may be infectious diseases of the mother in early pregnancy and drug therapy associated with these diseases. Having appeared once in the genome, such a pathology can be noted in each subsequent generation with a probability of up to 50%. The mutant gene turns into an active trait even before conception, so the embryo inherits the altered gene directly at the stalemate from the father or mother. This type of inheritance is called autosomal dominant, and the likelihood of such a pathology is equal for infants of both sexes. With this form of inheritance, hypertrichosis manifests itself in babies immediately after birth or in the first year of life. With other forms of inheritance, the disease may appear later. In some patients, hereditary hypertrichosis occurs during puberty or against the background of various hormonal changes (pregnancy, abortion, menopause, etc.). Science knows more than 20 different forms of genetically determined hypertrichosis.

There are a number of other predisposing factors, among which the most common are:

Various congenital malformations, in which hypertrichosis is one of the symptoms of the disease.
Hormonal surges or disturbances (pregnancy, abortion, menopause, etc.).
Endocrine diseases of the adrenal glands, pituitary gland, thyroid gland or ovaries in women.
Epilepsy.
Various oncological diseases. Often, hypertrichosis is diagnosed in patients long before the onset of malignant neoplasms.
The consequence of metabolic disorders in anorexia.
Taking certain medications (cephalosporin antibiotics, androgens, corticosteroids).
Patient-borne syphilis.
Some forms of alcoholism.
Manifestation of diagnosed or undiagnosed traumatic brain injury.
Shaving or plucking unwanted hair too often, cryotherapy, radiation and other traumatic procedures.

This is not a complete list of those factors that can cause hypertrichosis.

Hypertrichosis in women is called hirsutism. A similar pathology is characterized by male-pattern hair growth.

Clinical manifestations of hypertrichosis

Signs of hypertrichosis can be seen with the naked eye. If for men this problem is exclusively a cosmetic defect, then in the fair sex, hypertrichosis can cause mental disorders and depressive conditions.

As mentioned above, hypertrichosis is excess hair growth in those places where it would seem it should not be. In this case, it is worth considering the age, gender and race of the patient. If for representatives of some nationalities such an intensity of hair growth in some parts of the body is a variant of the norm, for others it is a pathology.

In men, hypertrichosis often manifests itself in the form of excess hair growth on the back and shoulders, and the first signs of the disease are visible in the baby immediately after birth. Hypertrichosis in women often manifests itself as male-pattern hair growth, namely:

intensive hair growth on the chin and nasolabial folds;
spinal pathology: hair growth in the lumbar region;
Breast hair growth (may be a sign of neurofibromatosis)
excessive hair growth of the buttocks;
fusion of eyebrows;
intensive growth of vegetation on the arms and legs, when it has the character of terminal hair: dark, long and coarse;
male pubic hair growth, etc.

Hypertrichosis, the symptoms of which are individual and characterized by different localization and intensity, are the reason for a comprehensive examination of the patient.

Hypertrichosis: Treatment and Diagnosis

If there are signs of hypertrichosis, the patient should visit a trichologist and a dermatologist. The patient also needs a consultation with an endocrinologist and a gynecologist in order to exclude the endocrine etiology of the disease.

The appropriate treatment is selected depending on the cause and intensity of the process. If the patient is diagnosed with endocrine hypertrichosis, treatment should be aimed at eliminating the root cause of the disease, namely endocrine disorders. The doctor individually prescribes corrective drug therapy. Otherwise, no cosmetic procedures will bring the desired result. The patient is contraindicated to shave or remove unwanted hair using various means for hair removal (wax, creams, etc.). These procedures only lead to the fact that unwanted hair becomes even harder and grows with greater intensity.

The most effective method of dealing with hypertrichosis is electrolysis. This method consists in the effect of a low frequency current on the hair follicle. After such exposure, the hairs are easily removed with tweezers. In some cases, local anesthesia may be applied if the patient shows signs of hypersensitivity. In one session, you can remove from 10 to 50 hairs, no more. For example, chin hair removal will require an average of 60 sessions.

This method of treatment is categorically not suitable for the correction of hypertrichosis in children. Before puberty, during which the hair sometimes disappears on its own, it is customary to bleach them with special solutions and remove them with creams.

Any treatment, of course, should be carried out under the supervision of specialists.