Excessive Body Hair in Men: Causes and Treatment
The human body has hair all over it. As you grow older, your body hair will also grow. The amount of hair on your body will be different from other people. Just as there is a difference in body hair growth from person to person, there is also a difference in the way people perceive a certain amount of body hair as ‘excessive’.
In men, testosterone is the hormone responsible for hair growth on the face and body. As you age, your body’s testosterone levels will also increase. This directly affects the type of hair growth, which is why some people have more noticeable hair on their bodies as compared to others.
Some men have a lot of hair on their body, especially on body parts which are not necessarily prone to hair growth, such as the shoulders or back. This can be distressing to many men, even though it is not necessarily considered a health risk. However, it may be a cause for concern or a discomfort if the hair starts appearing in places you’re not expecting.
You don’t often hear about excessive body hair in men, because few men pay attention to their bodily hair, except the facial hair or armpit hair. So if it appears, what exactly is the cause of excessive body hair in men, and what can you do about it?
Causes of Excessive Body Hair in Men
As mentioned earlier, testosterone is responsible for hair growth on your body. Having more body hair in men is not necessarily a bad thing, unless your body has a lot of excess hair and hair growth all over the body, or in specific patches.
In rare cases, this may be due to a condition called “Hypertrichosis”, which causes hair to grow anywhere on the body or on small patches. To learn more about Hypertrichosis, you can refer to our detailed article on the subject.
But there are also a number of other conditions that could cause excess body hair in men. It might be that the excess hair on your body is a result of high testosterone levels, which facilitate hair growth. You are also likely to have excess hair on your body if you use steroids for building muscle mass.
If you are experiencing excess hair growth, it’s a good idea to schedule a doctor’s appointment. As mentioned above here may be underlying causes, and seeing a doctor can help you to get a diagnosis and treatment.
What to Do About It?
If you are experiencing sign of excess hair growth, it’s important to see a doctor about it, as there may be an underlying cause. Your doctor can identify the cause and discuss treatment options with you.
After seeing your doctor, you may also look into physical methods on how to remove the excess hair that already is on your body. According to hair removal specialists, almost half of their clientele consists of men who request hair removal, mainly on the chest and back.
The simplest way to remove unwanted or excess hair from the body is by shaving and waxing, but it is a temporary solution, and the hair will keep growing back periodically. Permanent methods to take care of excessive body hair in men are as follows:
1. Electrolysis
You can opt for electrolysis, a process utilizing electricity and heat energy to remove individual facial or body hairs. Although this process is effective, you will have to undergo multiple treatments spread out over a long period of time. Moreover, you might also experience some degree of pain and discomfort, apart from the risk of scarring or a change in skin color.
2. Laser Hair Removal
By far, laser hair removal is one of the most popular treatments for removing excessive body hair in men. In this procedure, lasers destroy the hairs from their follicles, slowing down their growth and causing them to not reappear for a few months. This method is safe and quick, but you might have to get for follow-up treatments.
3. Intense Pulsed Lights (IPL)
These lights work like lasers, except that they are high-powered light pulses targeted at hair follicles to remove hair. You can find this treatment available in many salons and spas.
Conclusion
There are many ways to counter excessive body hair in men, but it is always best to consult your doctor before making any decision. After all, you need to be careful about your health and decide on the best course of action for removing excess hair. If you would like to learn more about permanent hair removal, you can refer to our detailed guide.
