What is it and what is the cause?
Excess hair is a common condition that can occur in both men and women. Sometimes excess hair growth has no identifiable cause; this tends to be more common in skin types from a Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and South Asian background. It can also be hereditary.
For women, hormones can play a big part with conditions such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and hurtuism and if you feel you have abnormal hair growth then it may be worth consulting your GP to rule out such conditions.
As we head towards the menopause our Oestrogen levels drop resulting in an increase of the male hormones and we start to see hair appearing on the chin and top lip. This can be easily treated.
Treatments
IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) or laser, depending on skin tone, both destroy hair at the follicle preventing it from re-growing. At least 6-8 treatments are needed 4-6 weeks apart as only hair that is in a growth cycle at the time of treatment can be destroyed. Test patch and consultation for suitability are needed at least 48 hours prior to treatment and are free of charge. From £45 per session.