What is undesirable hair growth?

Androgens, the male hormone is required in women for a few phases of the reproductive cycle such as follicular growth but in concentrations as small as 1/10th of the concentrations present in men.  But if the concentrations of these male hormones such as testosterone are in excess in women, then they result in undesirable hair growth which is called hirsutism.  Most commonly, areas of the body that might be affected by hirsutism in females are…

1. Facial areas, upper lip, chin, lower face

2. Hands and legs

3. Chest, Neck, shoulders

What does it indicate?

This indicates the woman might be at risk or probably suffering from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) which has implications beyond cosmetic means especially if the woman belongs to the reproductive phase of her life.  High androgen levels in PCOS women are the culprit to fertility disorders in those women, hence need a systematic approach by pills (that offer a combination of anti-androgen drugs such as Cyproterone or Drosperinone with estrogen such as Ethinyl estradiol) for three consecutive cycles to control androgen levels before starting fertility treatment protocols.

While this is the approach to correct the androgen levels for fertility treatment, undesirable hair growth is considered cosmetically unacceptance by many adolescents/women.

Identification of expert, what to do?

The cosmetic approach to hair reduction is by laser.  In addition to qualified dermatologists, many cosmetology clinics offer such therapies for hair reduction.  So, it is important to actually choose a qualified and certified expert for your treatment, take the expert’s prior experience in terms of the number of treatments offered with respect to your skin color.

Once you identify an expert (dermatologist) with credentials, then try to understand how many cycles of laser removal (as this is the most preferred and latest method chosen) are required, what results can be expected, potential side effects while and after treatment and how to overcome them, and importantly the treatment cost (which is often inflated due to a fictional bubble of branding created by many cosmetology centers).

Since the urge for undesirable hair removal is more price inelastic, the market for cosmetology clinics is on rise, thanks to the rising disposable income of individuals.  But your success depends more on choosing a qualified expert.  So, don’t miss it.

Cosmetic approach to hirsutism

The cosmetic approach to hair reduction is mostly a laser approach.  Laser hair removal is a cosmetic procedure that employs a laser beam.  Laser hair removal involves the following steps – 

1. Ensure all unwanted hair is removed from the area of the skin that is going to be subjected to laser treatment.

2. While treating, to protect your eyes, you will be advised to wear special goggles.

3. Application of cool gel to the targeted area would be effective to numb the area within 30-60 minutes of application.

4. A handheld device is pressed to your skin to trigger a laser.

5. The session may take between 15 minutes to an hour or more depending on the area of hair removal.

6. The repetition of cycles depends on the intensity and area of hirsutism, with a gap of at least 4-6 weeks to go for the next cycle.

Most of the patients who undergo the laser treatment express a feeling of warm pinpricking.

Post-procedure care

Post-treatment the target area might be with rash for a few hours to days.  Holding an ice pack may provide relief.  The most important care is to protect laser-treated skin with sunscreen lotions (SPF30) at least for four weeks.

Most of the women who undergo laser treatment are free of undesirable hair for months and even years sometimes.  Even if there is a recurrence, the hair growth is very minimal and unnoticeable.

Get a permanent solution to unwanted hair with laser hair reduction. Consult our expert dermatologist at Park Hospital. With advanced technologies, they ensure the best patient outcomes.