What You Can Do About Hair on the Stomach as a Female
Many women feel uncomfortable dealing with the hair they have on their body, because it is something often stigmatized by society. However, body hair is incredibly common and a normal thing. Even having hair on your stomach is normal, and as a woman it’s not something that should make you feel weird.
Having hair in a line below your bellybutton to the pubis is completely normal. But if you want to remove it for aesthetic reasons, there are a lot of hair removal methods to get rid of it one way or another.
Learning about the reasons why it’s growing can help you to better understand why you have belly hair, and find solutions to minimize the problem. Here’s all the information you need for removing unwanted hair on stomach, even permanently.
Is The Hair On Your Belly Abnormal?
First, you need to understand that belly hair is completely normal, but due to the “rules of society”, you might be stressing out about how it will look if you’re wearing a bikini, for example. Every woman has light and tiny hair on the stomach. Genes play a huge role in the amount of hair that grows around your body.
However, if you have already gone through puberty and suddenly you notice a change in your hair growth pattern, turning darker, coarser and heavier, then something more is happening, and you should check in with your doctor. There’s no need to panic, but understanding what is happening to you will make you more conscious about your condition and will give you the tools to solve it effectively.
Causes for Abnormal Hair On Stomach In Women
When your belly hair grows darker and thicker, you might have a medical condition called hirsutism. Women who develop it have male-pattern hair growth all over the body, including the face, chest, back and even your stomach. The hair grows in body areas where men typically have it.
The development of hirsutism on your belly is the physical expression of having too many androgens, the “male” reproductive hormones mainly represented by testosterone, circulating through the blood.
Every woman has some level of testosterone which is completely normal, but when its production increases without regulation, the relation between male and female hormones gets unbalanced in favor to the male ones, and you can develop some male characteristics such as body hair growth in a pattern untypical for women.
To support the diagnosis, your doctor may want to check your hormone levels. After confirming it, he may prescribe you some medicines such as oral contraceptives and anti-androgens, which are standardized medical treatments for hirsutism.
Learn Ways To Remove Belly Hair
Hirsutism is a medical condition that can be treated, but it may take time until the treatment works. To remove the hair quickly, you can try some hair removal methods, depending on your lifestyle choices and how much hair you want to remove.
- Shaving
One of the oldest ways to remove hair includes the basic sequence of lather, shave and rinse. Using the razor is one of the quicker and easier methods to remove belly hair. You should use the downward motion to avoid ingrown hairs.
However, the main cons are that the shave doesn’t last for more than one or two days and that once you do it for the first time, you will have to perform it often to maintain a clean look.
- Wax it
This is one of the easiest ways to remove entire hair including the follicle. Most salon and spa spread over your skin a resin based product, which is removed later with a quick pull.
You don’t have to perform it very often, since their effects lasts for 2 or even 4 weeks, depending on your hair rate growth. Also, with repeated waxing over time, your hair will grow less thick and more pale. However, if it is not performed correctly, it can leave you with redness and burns on your skin.
- Depilatory creams
Depilatories, or hair removal creams, are a simple way to get rid of unwanted hair in your stomach. They are inexpensive, and work in a matter of minutes.
However, there are some people who may be sensitive to the chemicals they contain that function breaking down the hair follicle, which will leave skin extremely red, so always test it on a small patch of your skin before spreading it all over your skin.
- Sugaring
This hair removal technique is a simpler and less painful way to remove your body hair. Sugaring uses a gel or a paste made from sugar, lemon and hot water. Any of the forms are spread over the body areas where you want a hair-free skin, pulling out hair of the roots like waxing does. Nevertheless, it does not leave an irritated skin because it only binds to the hair, not to your skin.
You need to see a beauty professional that knows the right technique, because your skin could result in bruising if it is not held tightly.
- Laser hair removal
Laser is a light-based technology approved for the FDA for permanent hair removal in the body areas of your preference, but you need 5 to 10 sessions to have the job completely done, this is why it may be expensive.
Before starting it, you should make an appointment with your dermatologist, to make sure your type of skin is allowed to receive the laser treatment without getting any scarring, blisters or even pigmentation due to the procedure.
Considerations for Further Results
There are some lifestyle changes that are important treatment approaches to deal with your belly’s hirsutism in the long-term.
1. Exercise more
Exercise plays a huge role, as it helps with regulating the hormone levels within your body. Add it into your daily routine and besides feeling more energetic and happy, it can improve your hormone balances.
2. Focus on a healthy diet
Hirsutism is a condition that involves hormonal imbalance, and is often connected with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and insulin resistance. Focusing on a healthy diet such as a low-card diet can help. Avoid rich-carb meals and substitute them for high-fiber food, like brown rice, fruits, vegetables or brown bread. It’s best to work with a dietitian to find a diet that works best for you long-term.
3. Get enough sleep
Sleep deprivation can increase cortisol, a stress hormone. One of the cortisol’s functions in the body is to release sugar into the bloodstream so that in case you are in a dangerous situation, you have enough energy to run away. Getting enough sleep can help regulating your cortisol levels.
