Have you looked yourself in the mirror and seen a long, chin hair that have popped out of nowhere?
Well, don’t worry, that has happened to many women. Experts claim that having chin hair is really common among women. But you must be wondering where do these hairs come from?
“Chin hair results from a combination of genetics and hormones,” It’s our male hormones (called androgens), as well as our overall hormonal balance, that stimulate growth of chin hair,” says Hadley King, M.D., board-certified dermatologist at New York’s SKINNEY Medspa.
How much chin hair you’ll have depends on how sensitive your hair follicles are to these hormones. The levels of hormones and the sensitivity are determined by genetics. Unfortunately, if your granny has a hairy chin, you’ll probably have one too.
Chin hair grows at any age but it increases as women get older, since women suffer from hormonal imbalance as they age.
“Simply plucking the stray chin hairs is the speediest way to remove them. If you have more than a stray, you may want to consider electrolysis or laser hair removal for more effective clearance,” says King.
Women with normal, hormonal balance can also get chin hair but if you notice excess body and facial hair, irregular periods and acne that don’t respond to any treatment, you might be suffering from PCOS- polycystic ovary syndrome.
“Whether your hormonal balance is “normal” or PCOS-related, medications that affect hormones, like oral contraceptives or spironolactone, can help curb excess chin hair growth, as well as overall facial hair, “says Hadley.
“Some of us are just hairier than others. And you have good ol’ genetics to thank for that!” explains Hadley.
Read more: How to Get Rid of The Unwanted Facial Hair