Why Some Women Get More Facial Hair Than Others

Facial hair. It's perfectly normal, most of us have it, and it can really be found just about anywhere on our faces - chins, cheeks - you name it. It's also completely normal to be self-conscious about it, as we can be with just about anything else that concerns our physical appearance.

While just about all of us do have facial hair, it can be thicker, coarser and more visible on some women - the technical term being hirsutism, meaning excess body hair.

But why is that? Apparently, there are two key reasons behind why some women have more than others...

Hormone imbalance

According to experts, one of the most common causes of excess facial hair is our pesky old hormones. They're responsible for lots of changes in our bodies, so it only makes sense that they can affect the amount of hair that appears on us too. One doctor, who spoke to Good Housekeeping, has said that if you have a hormone imbalance, it could well be the reason you've got more facial hair.

She explained that if you have slightly more of the male hormone testosterone (a female's hormone is oestrogen), you could see more unwanted hair appearing. An increase in testosterone could also lead to an increased sex drive and an interrupted menstrual cycle.

Also, conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome could cause rising levels of the male hormone, so if you're seeing more facial hair than normal, it's probably best to get it checked out in case there is an underlying health problem.

Menopause

Unwanted facial hair could easily be a symptom of the menopause - so if you're experiencing it right now, or have recently gone through it, that may be why you're seeing more facial hair than normal. As menopause approaches, oestrogen levels fall, and DHT (dihydrotestosterone) levels rise, which can contribute to more hair.

This could explain why mature women see thicker, ‘beard-like' hair on places like their chins, while younger women who aren't yet going through the menopause might not have seen any facial hair yet.

So what can you do about facial hair?

Well, you can follow our easy guide on how to get rid of facial hair. Plucking is usually a good way to rid yourself of it, but be careful, because there are some hairs on your face which are fine to pluck - but there are other's that you absolutely shouldn't pluck.

Electrolysis and laser treatments can also be an effective way of getting rid of facial hair for good. Although these options can be expensive, you can usually guarantee the hair won't return after having a few sessions.