Hypertrichosis in women treatment. Hypertrichosis: not only an aesthetic problem

19.10.2019 -

Hypertrichosis (excessive hair growth) is a disease that manifests itself in excessive hair growth in certain places that are not typical for such an area of the skin: above the lips, on the abdomen, chest, arms, back and chin. This disease can occur some time after birth and form in adulthood. It is not harmful to health, but it is considered an aesthetic defect. And yet, hypertrichosis - what is it, how does it manifest itself? This will be discussed further in the article.

How hair grows

"Vegetation" on the head and body is a completely natural phenomenon for any person. During intrauterine maturation of the fetus, hair growth goes over the entire exterior of its skin. As a rule, by the stage of birth, these hairs disappear, and later they are replaced first by vellus, and then by terminal ones.

Each person has vellus hair: they cover his body, grow on the face of women and children. Such hairs are normally soft and light, their length does not exceed 1.5 mm. Terminal hair is also considered normal, but it has a different structure: darker and coarser.

How hormones affect their growth

Androgens largely affect the hair follicles, because they determine the frequency of loss, growth and structure. hairline. If there are any disruptions with hormones in the body, then hypertrichosis may appear in women. The photo is shown below.

Androgens are able to act on hair follicles throughout the body, but some of them are insensitive to these hormones - for example, vellus hair, eyelashes and eyebrows. Some, on the contrary, have very good sensitivity. It is precisely the influence of androgen that motivates the change of soft pubic hairs in children to hard ones during puberty.

These hormones also have an effect on hair growth on the face and head in men, but they have their own specifics. For example, in the male sex, an excess of testosterone can lead not only to an increase, but also to hair loss. It should also be noted here that the formation of hair follicles in the back area in men is not always a problem of hypertrichosis. In all people, the performance of these hormones is carried out in different ways. Hence the conclusion that some have little hair, while others have a lot.

Hypertrichosis: signs

Such a disease develops in stages, that is, the manifestations progress progressively. The patient begins to notice that the intensive growth of vellus hairs dominates, while they grow over the entire surface of the body.

However, there are other symptoms that significantly reduce the quality of life. With inherited hypertrichosis, the malaise is considered incurable, and it begins to develop immediately after birth. Increased hairiness in the baby spreads in the lumbar region, and shreds long hair can be seen along the entire spine.

Even in children, hypertrichosis is inherited as a sign of irritability, nervousness, appetite disorders, restless sleep and bad mood. Caring parents need to pay attention Special attention to such changes in the behavior of the child, immediately making an appointment with the local pediatrician.

The acquired nature of this disease also has its manifestations, which make themselves felt by increased hair growth in the sternum, nasolabial folds, on the limbs and pubis. In addition, hair also grows on birthmarks, in moles, representing a clear cosmetic defect. If you remove such "vegetation" on your own, then the signs of the disease can only get worse. So, neither the use of wax, nor laser hair removal, as well as other cosmetic measures without advance therapy is indicated and even contraindicated.

Types of disease

Hypertrichosis - what is it really? This is a very unpleasant disease, which also has its own varieties. In terms of symptoms, degree and areas of hair growth, such a disease can be divided into 2 main types:

Total hair growth

Hairs grow all over the human body. Often this type of disease is congenital. This happens because the germinal black hair is not replaced by light vellus, but continues to form. In some cases, such "thickets" can reach up to 10 cm in length.

Hypertrichosis of some parts of the body

This type of disease is divided, in turn, into subspecies:

Lumbar hypertrichosis in women and men. Soft, long and dark hair grows in the lumbar region. Along with this, neurological signs and non-fusion of the spine (spinal dysraphia) can often be observed.
Birth defects - nevi, abundantly covered with hairs. Such birthmarks can be light and black, reach different contours and sizes. There is the concept of Becker's melanosis, and this disease manifests itself in the form of a nevus of huge volumes. The malaise is characterized by a skin lesion of an unchanged form, which pigments already in old age.
Prothoracic (presternal hypertrichosis) - hair growth in the chest area.

What are the causes of the disease?

First of all, it must be taken into account that the malaise is acquired at various periods of life or congenital. You can consider the main prerequisites for the formation of the disease:

Diagnostics

Such a disease requires integrated approach where therapy should begin with a visit to a dermatologist, endocrinologist and gynecologist - these experts give their opinions. After that, it is necessary to perform biochemical research blood, which will determine hormonal background patient, as well as the stage of the underlying pathological process. If congenital hypertrichosis dominates, the photo of which is shown below, then already by laboratory analysis it can be concluded that the predominant disease of the endocrine system.

In addition, the doctor should perform a visual examination and find out in detail the anamnesis characteristic disease. Complaints of the patient testify to the main disease in the body. Special ones are not needed. After establishing the correct diagnosis, therapy should begin as soon as possible.

Hypertrichosis: treatment

The goal of drug therapy is to eliminate the causes of increased hair growth. To do this, you should follow all the instructions of a specialist who will prescribe symptomatic, hormonal and substitution treatment. The selection of hormonal drugs should be done on an individual basis, and dosage adjustment will protect against severe health problems, as well as exacerbation of side effects.

In addition, certain cosmetic measures are necessary that will prevent and eliminate increased hairiness. You can also remove hair with the help of electric hair removal, specific depilatory products, shaving and bleaching preparations. It is forbidden to remove them with a laser or wax, since such procedures only increase the symptoms.

Nevertheless, experts advise to produce electric hair removal, because they consider this method the most popular and effective. If the event becomes too painful, then it is allowed to perform it under local anesthesia.

One way or another, the clinical conclusion is quite favorable, however, it is recommended to treat hypertrichosis (what it is already known to readers of this article) in a timely manner.

Hypertrichosis (hypertrichosis, werewolf syndrome) is a condition in which excessive hair growth that is not characteristic of ethnicity and gender can be observed on any part of the body and face of a person. This disorder may present at birth or later, over time. Hair can completely cover the face and body or grow in small patches.

Hypertrichosis is a rare disorder that can affect both men and women. In the latter, this disorder causes much more severe stress, significantly reducing the quality of life. They have to remove hair not only where all women do it - armpits, legs and bikini area - but also on other parts of the body.

Hypertrichosis and hirsutism: differences

Both conditions are characterized by increased hairiness. However, in hypertrichosis, excessive hair growth is not limited to areas with androgen receptors. Hair can grow anywhere, while the hormonal background will be normal.

The main treatment for hypertrichosis is associated with various short-term methods. These primarily include:

shaving,
wax and sugaring,
depilation with creams and mousses,
epilators,
hair lightening,
plucking,
use of hair growth retardants such as Eflornithine.

To longer expensive and effective methods unwanted hair removal include:

photoepilation,
electrolysis using electrolysis.

With hypertrichosis in women, hair growth near the chin, axillary cavities, on the woman’s chest, nasolabial folds, legs, arms, and in the genital area is greatly enhanced; the pubic hair zone expands according to the male pattern.

Hypertrichosis in women is called too strong hair growth of various parts of the body. Hypertrichosis in women is manifested due to several reasons:

congenital vellus hypertrichosis - with such a disease, hair can reach a length of up to ten centimeters and be the result of any genetic abnormality;
acquired cannon hypertrichosis - in ninety-five percent of cases it is a harbinger of a malignant tumor;
drug hypertrichosis - manifested due to the intake of certain drugs - corticosteroids, cyclosporine, streptomycin, diazoxide, minoxidil, penicillamine, psoralens;
symptomatic hypertrichosis - develops with porphyria, epidermolysis bullosa, traumatic brain injury, fetal alcohol syndrome, dermatomyositis, exhaustion, anorexia nervosa.

This disease can manifest itself in both mature women and young girls. It may start as a cannon over upper lip and chin, but if treated incorrectly, this can be a serious cause. In no case should you shave your hair or wash it with a pumice stone.

Increased hairiness in women is the result of excessive secretion of the male hormone testosterone and excessive sensitivity hair follicle to his action. In most cases, this problem is congenital.

Also, increased growth hair loss can start after a woman too often tries to apply masks, creams and treatments that have hormonal basis. If increased growth is observed in adolescent girls, it is necessary to consult a doctor, as this may be a symptom of the disease. internal organs.

In the fight against this disease, ethnoscience advises to forget about razors and tweezers and use the following tools.

Treatment of hypertrichosis in women

You can try lubricating the skin with the juice of a cut green walnut.

Also, in order to remove hair, you need to take shaving cream, two to three tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide and half a teaspoon ammonia. All ingredients are mixed and applied to the skin, and when it dries up, the solution is washed off with warm water. After about four procedures, the hairs will brighten, become thin and almost invisible.

You can also burn the shell walnut, mix with a tablespoon of water and apply this mixture to the hair growth areas.

Walnut is generally considered one of the best remedies for the treatment of hypertrichosis. For example, for treatment, it is also necessary to drink a tablespoon of tincture from walnut partitions. To do this, take fifteen nuts, pour them with a glass of vodka and insist on the sun for two weeks.

You can also lubricate the skin with increased hairiness with milkweed juice, two to three times a day, for two weeks. Datura grass is also used for treatment. You need to take one hundred and fifty grams of this plant and fill it with a liter hot water and then boil over low heat for thirty minutes. This decoction is cooled, filtered and applied in place with a gauze napkin. This procedure is repeated three to four times a day. Datura decoction is stored in the refrigerator.

And finally, a couple more recipes. You can mix one hundred milligrams of green walnut juice and ten to fifteen grams of tar. Put the mixture in a tightly sealed container and keep for three weeks in a dark place. Apply to areas with increased hairiness two to three times a day.

You can also collect ants or larvae, grind them with water in a tablespoon and apply to problem areas.

Excess hair on the body often seems to us only a cosmetic defect - unless, of course, they cover the entire skin entirely. At the same time, even such minor changes as the appearance of a fluff above the upper lip in women may indicate pathological processes in the body. And excessive hair on some parts of the body is often a sign of tuberculosis, diabetes and even cancer.

What is hypertrichosis

While in the womb, a person is almost completely covered with hair. By the time of birth, they disappear, and as they grow older, they begin to grow again: first on the head, and then on the body. There are 2 types of hair:

fluffy - tender, colorless and short; cover the bodies of both children and adults;
terminal - hard, dark and long; appear under the influence of androgens - male sex hormones.

The main areas of terminal hair growth are in the pubic and axillary regions. During puberty, these places begin to grow hair, and in men, vegetation also appears on the face, chest, abdomen, back, arms, legs, shoulders and buttocks. Sometimes hair growth of this type is also observed in the fairer sex - if the amount of male hormones in their body significantly exceeds the norm. In this case, we are talking about hirsutism - a pathology observed in women and associated with hormonal disruptions.

Hypertrichosis is sometimes called polytrichia, viril syndrome, and even werewolf syndrome.

Hirsutism is often confused with hypertrichosis - excessive hair growth in any part of the body, even those where hair growth does not depend on the presence of androgens in the body. With this pathology, both the entire body and part of it can be covered with excess vegetation: parts of the arms, legs, spots on the face, etc. Unlike hirsutism, this pathology affects not only women, but also men, as well as children.

Men suffer from hirsutism about 7 times less than women.

Actually, hirsutism is just a type of hypertrichosis. According to the tenth International classification diseases, there are several types of this disease:

hirsutism;
hypertrichosis with vellus hair acquired;
localized view;
polytrichism;
other hypertrichosis;
hypertrichosis, unspecified.

Depending on gender and age, the disease can have different causes and course.

Among women

Manifestations of hypertrichosis in women different ages may differ.

Teenage years. Most often, the disease starts during this period. native view pathology provokes early puberty, so hair can begin to grow even at 7 years old. Hormonal reorganization triggers pathological processes, resulting in a vegetative cover appears on the face, neck, chest, back, etc. In addition, some diseases can be the causes of hypertrichosis, in particular, the malfunctioning of the adrenal glands and ovaries.
From 16 to 24 years old. In young women, abnormal growth of vellus hair rather than terminal hair is most often observed. As a rule, they appear on the stomach or legs. The cause may be malfunctions of the internal organs: the thyroid gland, adrenal glands or genital organs.
After 45 years. During menopause, signs of the disease often appear on the face: women begin to grow mustaches and beards. It's connected with hormonal imbalance in the body and with age can be aggravated, signaling malfunctions in the endocrine system.

Steroids and the eternal female craving for weight loss can also provoke excessive hair growth. The period of diets and starvation can be replaced by anorexia, one of the manifestations of which is vellus hair. After adequate treatment, unwanted hair disappears.

In men

Representatives of the stronger sex suffer from hypertrichosis less often than women. Most often, this disease is diagnosed in newborn babies and children 8-14 years old. Strong growth of terminal hair in childhood may be associated with increased levels of androgens in the body. In this case, boys have earlier sexual development accompanied by hair growth.

In adult men, the disease is often manifested by excessive hair growth in areas where they usually grow: on the chest, abdomen, back, shoulders, etc. From normal hair growth pathological condition differs in that the vegetation in its density is more like wool. The disease can manifest itself at any age as a result of taking certain drugs or rubbing with hormonal ointments.

In children

Excessive body hair in children is mainly due to genetic causes. At birth, the body of such a child is covered with dark coarse hair, which has nothing to do with the infant fluff - lanugo. Often, pathological hair growth is accompanied by other disorders: irregular shape or the size of the skull, lack of reflexes, delayed psycho-motor and mental development.

Hair growth in a child can be either generalized, with damage to the entire surface of the body, or local. In the latter case, the hair is often localized on the nevi or between the eyebrows.

According to statistics, only 1 out of a billion people suffer from generalized hypertrichosis, when almost the entire body is covered with hair. Most cases have been recorded in India, South America, and Romania, which is why the disease is called werewolf syndrome.

If one of the parents suffers from the disease, the probability of having a "hairy" child in the family is quite high. In addition, this pathology can occur when the expectant mother abuses alcohol. Babies born in such conditions may have abnormal bone structure and mental retardation.

Classification of hypertrichosis

The disease can be both congenital and acquired. In the first case, the pathology is caused by genetic mutations and is most often diagnosed at birth. Sometimes a baby is born without excess vegetation, being a carrier of a defective gene. The disease can manifest itself in his children, grandchildren or heirs through several generations.

There are the following forms congenital species diseases.

Universal hypertrichosis in an autosomal dominant manner. With this form, the child is born already covered with hair, and with age the situation only worsens.
Cannon (lanuginous, germinal). In newborn babies, only the forehead is covered with vegetation, but as they grow older, the hair becomes more and more. By the age of 7, they cover the entire body (except for the palms and soles) and sometimes reach 10 cm in length. By adolescence, hair growth slows down, but they remain on the body until the end of life. Sometimes the disease is accompanied by adentia or defects in the dentition, delayed physical development and diseases of the central nervous system.
Local (local) hypertrichosis. Manifested in the form of hair growth birthmarks- nevi. A variety of local is also a lumbosacral type of disease. As a rule, this type is accompanied by birth defects. sacral department of the spine, in particular, spina bifida. Excessive hair growth is observed in the lumbar region in the form of the so-called fawn tuft - strands of long hair.

The most favorable prognosis for life and normal development has universal hypertrichosis in an autosomal dominant manner.

The acquired type of pathology is formed under the influence of internal and external factors. It can occur at any age in both females and males. There are several varieties of acquired hypertrichosis.

Fluffy hypertrichosis. Unlike the congenital vellus, this disease can appear not only in childhood, although in both cases it develops in the same way. First, hair grows on the face, and then they spread to the whole body, except for the feet and palms. In 90% of cases, the cause of sudden hair growth are tumors of internal organs, most often malignant. Sometimes hair begins to grow long before the appearance of the compaction itself, being rather a harbinger, rather than a symptom of the pathological process.
Medicinal hypertrichosis. This form develops as a result of the use of various medications. Most often, hair growth is caused by external treatments, ointments containing glucocorticosteroids, drugs used in the treatment of tuberculosis. Excessive hair growth can stimulate the use of danazol, diazoxide, cyclosporine, minoxidil, certain types of hormones, and other medications.
Traumatic hypertrichosis. Excess hair can grow in places of injuries, seams and scars, as well as in areas of the body that are constantly sealed with plasters, covered with plaster or medical applications, shaved, epilated, etc. Vegetation can appear where the skin is chronically inflamed, burned or covered medicinal ointments for a long time.
Symptomatic hypertrichosis. With this form, hair growth is a symptom of a number of diseases: brain tumors, tuberculosis, diabetes and other ailments.
Neurogenic hypertrichosis. Excessive hair growth starts after damage peripheral nerves or spinal cord.

Depending on the localization of the hairline, the following types are distinguished:

auricles;
earlobes;
eyebrows and bridge of nose;
eye area;
sacrum and waist.

Different types are caused by different reasons.

Extra hair can grow both on the entire surface of the body and on a separate part of it: for example, on the neck

Reasons for the development of the disease

The main reasons are:

genetic disorders;
hormonal imbalance;
trauma and prolonged skin irritation;
taking a number of medications;
various somatic diseases.

Hypertrichosis is transmitted only by heredity: from mother, father or other relatives to a child. It is impossible to get infected with it by airborne droplets or in any other way.

In both men and women, the disease can occur due to the following ailments:

tumors;
diabetes;
tuberculosis;
encephalopathy;
alcoholism;
hypothalamic-pituitary syndrome;
anorexia;
dermatomyositis;
fungal skin lesions;
bullous epidermolysis;
neurofibromatosis;
porphyria;
epilepsy;
some mental illnesses;
venereal diseases;
inflammatory diseases and injuries of the brain or spinal cord;
Achara-Thier, Itsenko-Cushing, Morgagni, Pfaundler-Gurler, Berardinelli, Corneli de Lange, Szekel, Stein-Leventhal syndromes.

Hypertrichosis is one of the manifestations of Itsenko-Cushing's syndrome, as well as many other disorders.

As a rule, excessive hairiness is eliminated some time after the treatment of the underlying disease. The exception is hypertrichosis, provoked by genetic breakdowns. In this case, you can only get rid of the hairline with the help of epilation.

Symptoms

The main symptom is the growth of hair in those parts of the body where they should not be, as well as excessive hair growth in men in androgen-dependent places: on the chest, abdomen, back, shoulders and limbs. It is necessary, however, to take into account the belonging of a particular person to a particular ethnic group and race. Hair growth, which is considered normal for some peoples, may turn out to be hypertrichosis for representatives of other nationalities. Thus, excessive growth of hair on the body is characteristic of the peoples of the Caucasus, as well as residents of Italy, Israel and United Arab Emirates. If such dense vegetation is present in a European, this is already considered a pathology.

The congenital type of pathology may be accompanied by the following symptoms:

absence or irregular structure of teeth;
spinal defects;
microcephaly;
delayed psychomotor development;
mental retardation;
epilepsy.

In addition, excessive body hair can be a sign of genetic and somatic diseases, each of which has its own characteristic symptoms.

Diagnostics

When extra hair is found on the body, many representatives of the weaker sex begin to self-medicate. You shouldn't do this: self-deletion hair is unlikely to eliminate the problem, but it is quite possible to aggravate your condition.

At the first sign, it is necessary to pay a visit to four specialists:

endocrinologist;
dermatologist;
oncologist;
gynecologist.

Representatives of the stronger sex are limited to visiting the first three doctors. If no tumors are found in the body, the endocrinologist excludes the hormonal nature of the disease, and the dermatologist sees no problems with the skin, you can contact a therapist to diagnose the underlying disease, a symptom of which is hypertrichosis. This is done on the basis of which gives the concept of the hormonal background and general condition organism. Instrumental examinations with this disease, they are usually not required: a competent specialist needs to take an anamnesis, a visual examination and a blood test.

If the patient is a woman, an additional differential diagnosis aimed at distinguishing hypertrichosis from hirsutism. This is also done on the basis of a blood test showing the content of hormones in the body. An increased amount of androgens indicates hirsutism, while normal hormonal levels and hair growth in places where they should not be even in men - clear signs hypertrichosis.

Treatment

Once the diagnosis is established, treatment should begin immediately. In this case, therapy should be aimed both at getting rid of hair and at eliminating the cause that caused the pathological condition.

Medical therapy

Treatment with medicines directly depends on the cause that provoked it.

In case of problems with hormones, the doctor prescribes drugs that correct their content in the body. Dosages are selected individually, and the treatment is carried out under the constant supervision of a specialist, since hormonal drugs can have many side effects.
If body hair is only a symptom of a disease, medical support should be aimed at eliminating the cause. This may be the treatment of tuberculosis, anorexia or hypothyroidism. As a rule, excess vegetation disappears along with the underlying disease. In the case of incurable ailments, along with medicines, cosmetic methods of hair removal are used.
With drug-induced hypertrichosis, it is possible to replace the medications taken with analogues that do not have such side effects as body hair growth. If such a correction is not possible, the patient is recommended depilation under the supervision of a dermatologist.

In women, treatment is often associated with the correction of the psycho-emotional state. Excessive hair growth can lead to neurosis, depression and other disorders, so the fair sex needs to find the least traumatic way to get rid of unwanted hair as soon as possible, even if for this they have to shave every day.

Women need to find therapy as early as possible, as excess body hair often leads to depression.

Physiotherapy methods

Most physiotherapy procedures in the event of a disease are contraindicated. Mud, paraffin applications, ultraviolet irradiation and even massage can provoke even more intense hair growth. The only thing that doctors can prescribe is electrophoresis on problem areas.

This procedure is especially effective if hair growth is provoked by skin problems. With the help of electrophoresis, the patient is injected with Lidaza, which dissolves scar tissue and improves skin condition. Often this procedure is carried out after epilation sessions.

Epilation

Hair removal by various methods is considered a symptomatic treatment of hypertrichosis and is used in the following cases:

if hypertrichosis is caused by mechanical irritation of the skin and various injuries;
with a congenital local form of the disease;
in cases where the patient is diagnosed with genetic abnormalities;
if a long-term treatment of the underlying disease that caused hair growth is planned, and the patient is very worried about the appearance.

Doctors do not recommend getting rid of excess hair with wax, plucking with tweezers, or treating the skin with a pumice stone. Also, do not resort to laser hair removal: it can only aggravate the situation. The following methods are usually offered to the patient:

daily shaving with an electric razor;
the use of depilatory creams;
electrolysis.

The latter method allows you to permanently get rid of excess vegetation on the body, since the hair follicle is destroyed during electrolysis. The procedure can be quite painful, so it is often performed under local anesthesia. It may take quite a few sessions to eliminate all hair. For example, to remove stubble from the chin, you need to visit a specialist about 60 times during the year, and you can get rid of the vegetation on the upper lip in 3-6 months.

Electrolysis is contraindicated in children and adolescents before the end of puberty. They are recommended to use depilatory creams or bleach their hair with hydrogen peroxide. Also, do not epilate hair if it grows on large moles.

You can also remove excess hair using electrocoagulation - surgical method, with the help of which moles, warts, papillomas and other neoplasms on the skin are removed. The procedure is absolutely painless, and 1 session lasts about 15 minutes. During this time, you can remove up to 100 extra hair follicles.

Folk remedies

Use in hypertrichosis folk recipes It is recommended only for the general strengthening of the body, as well as the regulation of the hormonal, endocrine and nervous systems. For this, they are used herbal preparations to be consumed over a long period of time. As for home-grown methods of getting rid of excess hair, the use of such recipes can only provoke unnecessary complications.

The following folk remedies are used for treatment.

Leaves and raspberries. Fresh raspberries are an excellent immunity booster. A tincture of the leaves of this plant also helps to strengthen the body. Finely chopped fresh leaves are placed in a jar, poured with vodka and infused for about 7 days. Finished product take on an empty stomach: 10 drops 3 times a day.
Infusion of licorice. You can adjust the work of the male hormonal system with the help of the root pad. For this, 1 teaspoon of raw materials is poured into a glass of hot water, insisted for about 15 minutes and filtered. The resulting broth should be drunk 1 time per day for 3 weeks. After that, a 14-day break is made, and the course can be repeated.
Infusion of clover. This remedy cleanses the blood well and has a beneficial effect on the male genitourinary system. Pour 2 tablespoons of crushed flowers and clover stalks with a liter of boiling water, let the liquid brew for 10-12 hours, strain and use the remedy 100 ml 3 times a day for half an hour before meals. The recommended course is 1 month.
Hypericum infusion. This plant normalizes the hormonal background in women, and also has a positive effect on the nervous system. Brew 1 tablespoon of St. John's wort with two cups of boiling water, leave for 3-5 minutes, then strain the liquid and divide into 2 doses. The drug is consumed half an hour after breakfast and before bedtime.
Decoction of acacia root. The following recipe helps to increase the amount of female sex hormones in the body. Pour a glass of water with 0.5 teaspoon of white acacia roots, bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. After that, let the liquid stand for 1 hour, strain it and take 1/3 cup 30 minutes before meals.
Essential oil of geranium. The smell of geranium calms the nervous system, helps with depressive states and increase production female hormones. With essential oil This plant is recommended to take warm baths, adding 8-10 drops to the water. Water procedures should be completed in 15-20 minutes. It is recommended to take a bath 2 times a week for 2-3 months.

Before using any folk remedy, it is necessary to establish the exact cause of the appearance and be sure to consult with your doctor. Self-medication can provoke not only increased hair growth, but also problems with internal organs.

Photo gallery. Alternative treatment

Raspberries and leaves Liquorice root Clover flowers and stems
acacia root

Contraindications and treatment prognosis

With hypertrichosis, the following manipulations are prohibited:

scrubs;
paraffin applications;
hormonal creams and ointments;
waxing and other hair plucking methods;
drugs local application containing mercury;
exposure to ultraviolet and x-rays;
massage.

The prognosis for the treatment of the acquired type of disease is quite favorable. The disease is especially well amenable to correction when hormonal problems, as well as many somatic, neurological and mental ailments. With congenital forms of hypertrichosis, it is only possible symptomatic treatment, which consists in hair removal using electrolysis and other methods.

There is no cure for the disease. It is quite specific, and can occur in any person, including the host. healthy lifestyle life. People who have relatives with increased hairiness in the family are only recommended to undergo regular examinations with specialists in order to identify alarming changes in time and choose adequate treatment.

Video: symptoms and causes of the disease

Excessive hair growth can be caused by the most different reasons, from genetic abnormalities to severe diseases and skin injuries. Before getting rid of the vegetation, it is necessary to undergo a thorough diagnosis by specialists, and only after that begin the treatment of the underlying pathology or carry out hair removal using creams and epilation.

Hypertrichosis is a pathology of the skin of the scalp, caused by a genetic mutation and hormonal dysfunction. This disease is also known as "Werewolf Syndrome, or Yetty".

It is characterized by the presence of hair growth everywhere, even in those areas of the skin or mucous membranes where it is not provided for by neurohumoral regulation (hormone androgen), for example: inner part palms or feet, neck, buttocks, shoulder girdle, nipple halo, hypertrichosis auricle.

In adults, the presence of abundant hair growth is visible even in the stomach.

The disease affects different strata of the social, age and gender categories. When making a diagnosis, it is necessary to take into account ethnic features a person, his age (the coverage area of the hairy areas of the body in a man of 30 and a boy of 10 years old differs to a large extent), gender(hair in men and women occurs according to different type).

Hypertrichosis is a disease in which vellus hairs, devoid of pigmentation, degenerate from thin and soft into coarse rod hairs, with a pronounced dark pigment inside.

The causes of the disease must be considered based on its form of occurrence: congenital or acquired.

Congenital hypertrichosis

Congenital pathology occurs as a result of gene mutation under the influence of various toxic factors.

During the mutation, epithelial cells change their structure, acquiring properties characteristic of the epidermis.

Hypertrichosis is inherited as a Y-linked trait. Hypertrichosis is inherited as a sign of hollandic inheritance, i.e. as a recessive gene linked to the Y-chromosome.

This type of inheritance is determined by the transfer of a trait by phenotype from one generation to the next male line.

This means that if the father suffers from hypertrichosis, then the sons will also inherit this disease.

What is the probability of offspring with a certain phenotype in future generations can be understood based on the basics of genetics.

Since hypertrichosis is determined by a gene lying on the Y-chromosome, therefore all sons (XY-chromosome) will have the father's phenotype, and daughters (XX-chromosome) will have normal skin with typical moderate female type hair on the body.

Also, a hereditary predisposition that causes hypertrichosis in a child can be transmitted from generation to generation in an autosomal dominant type, this type of inheritance causes acquired hypertrichosis of vellus hair.

The degree of inheritance of the trait is equal between the sexes. This type of hair growth does not entail any negative consequences for a child.

Genetic mutations may be associated with severe pregnancy, especially when exposed to negative factors in the 1st trimester, with chronic alcohol intoxication fetus and infectious diseases.

In newborns, immediately after birth, the symptoms of hypertrichosis can appear and be latent in a ratio of 50-50%, the gene responsible for the development of this disease can remain in the form of carriage and will appear only after a generation.

Acquired forms of hypertrichosis

The acquisition of Abrams syndrome or hypertrichosis (the syndrome received the name of the scientist who first described the clinical symptoms and genetic predisposition disease) can be triggered by a number of reasons, including:

Violation secretory functions internal glands: ovaries, adrenal glands, pituitary gland;
Changes in the regulation of hormones in the body during periods of physiological hormonal surges, also as a result;
Taking hormonal drugs for more than 6 months;
Neoplasms of the brain, damage to the stem formations of the nerves, epilepsy;
Frequent stressful situations and strong psycho-emotional experiences;
brain infections, inflammatory processes;
The impact of external factors on the skin (mustard, plaster, various hormonal ointments);
Physical effect on the epidermis: hair removal by depilation, shaving, wax or paraffin application.
Chronic inflammatory processes of the skin.

The main symptoms and diagnosis of hypertrichosis

Symptoms of hypertrichosis can occur in women, men and children equally, and are associated primarily with unreasonable hair growth in certain areas.

For example, if hairiness in men is a sign of masculinity, then for women and children, the presence is a pathology. Consider in more detail the symptoms of hypertrichosis in different genders:

The presence of coarse black hair growth on the chin and above the upper lip.
Hair growth in the area of the nipples in combination with sunken chest.
Increased hairiness of the limbs.
The presence of hard long black hair in the coccyx, the so-called "Ponytail".
Hair on buttocks.
Growing thick eyebrows.
Male pattern hair - hirsutism.

Hirsutism is a hypertrichosis in women, caused by hair growth under the influence of androgen hormones in places, characteristic of male hair growth.

Hypertrichosis and hirsutism are united by a common feature - uncharacteristic hair growth, but they have a number of differences between themselves.

So, the term hirsutism is characterized by the growth of terminal (non-vellus hair) on the face in women, chest, back, midline of the abdomen, on the coccyx and is due to a violation of the hormonal regulation of male sex hormones in the body of the weaker sex.

Therefore, hirsutism is observed only in women. Dishormonal background, namely the predominance of androgens and testosterone in conjunction with reduced amount estrogen leads to - acquired baldness.

When the pigmented terminal hair on a woman's head is replaced by vellus.

There is another concept with the norm of hair growth in women - generalized idiopathic hypertrichosis.

They are characterized by those states of increased hair growth, when it cannot be justified by any reasons.

At the same time, the production of female sex hormones is not disturbed, the functions of menstruation and ovulation are fully preserved. Violations at the genetic level in this disease have not been identified.

In men, excessive hairiness is a sign of pathology if male-type hair growth is too intense and hair growth is not commensurate with nationality and age.

Often, increased hairiness is formed in men as a result of the use of steroid drugs and as a result of mechanical damage to the epidermal layer.

In boys and young men who have reached puberty, hypertrichosis can occur as a result of hypergonadism - associated with and testosterone.

A frequent manifestation of the disease in sexually mature men is the hairiness of the auricle.

Excessive hair formation near the outer ear canal and at the edge of the auricle, in most cases, it is hereditary in nature - from father to son.

Another reason for the occurrence of this cosmetic pathology is an overabundance of the production of testosterone and androgen hormones.

The disease in children has both congenital and acquired preconditions.

Normally, fluffy hairs cover the body of a child while still in the mother's womb, performing the function of protection, and disappear when the baby is born.

If the hair does not roll down by the time the child reaches 3-4 months of age, this already indicates congenital hypertrichosis.

It can be both local and local - in the form of a large mole with characteristic hair growth.

Pathology in the sacrum is very common - a combination of nonunion between the vertebral arches and the presence of abundant growth coarse black hair.

Secondary, or acquired hypertrichosis in children develops against the background of injuries or infections.

Tuberculosis can lead to hair growth in the area of the shoulder blades;
Puberty is the growth of hair in girls in the area of the end of the nose above the lip, on the chin and in the buccal cavities, as well as on the limbs, which is provoked by hormonal changes.
Hypertrichosis is caused by a violation of the nervous innervation when wearing a cast, injuries, swelling of the skin area.

In children, namely girls in adolescence it is also possible the occurrence of hirsutism, the mechanisms of development of which and the symptoms of manifestation are similar to women.

Hair removal for children at home is not recommended due to the aggravation of the growth of coarser hair.