Hypertrichosis type of inheritance. Hypertrichosis: what are the dangers of excess hair

Each person wants to preserve their natural beauty for as long as possible, but what if nature has deprived you of something and the appearance turned out to be completely different from what you would like? Unfortunately, this can happen for various reasons, but in this case there is in mind such a phenomenon as hypertrichosis or simply: increased body hair. What kind of disease it is, how it manifests itself and how to deal with it, you will learn by reading our article to the end.

The term "hypertrichosis" means excessive hair growth on any part of the human body, in particular, even in those places where the appearance of hair is not provided for by the action of male sex hormones - androgens.

All regrown hairs are usually dark and thick, and although men are more likely to suffer from their mass appearance (the disease is associated specifically with the Y chromosome), this problem is often found in females, so this problem can be considered common.

How is it different from hirsutism

Hirsutism and hypertrichosis are considered by many people to be almost the same concepts, however, if you analyze the features and places of hair appearance, the difference will be obvious.

The first disease is diagnosed exclusively in females, while the second is typical for both sexes at any age. In addition, hirsutism is manifested only by hair growth in usually male areas (face, chest, abdomen, back, nipple areas, etc.), but hypertrichosis is not excluded in other areas.

Did you know? The second name of the disease is “werewolf syndrome”, and if in our time people are more confused by the aesthetic nature of the problem, then in the Middle Ages women and men with this disease were recognized as messengers of the devil and sentenced to death.

Causes and risk factors

Despite the fact that hypertrichosis is not considered a very common disease, the causes of its manifestation are of interest to many people. Contrary to popular belief, this rather interesting phenomenon is not a consequence of pathology, when a very high content of male hormones is found in the blood, affecting the increase in hair growth in androgenic areas, but has other reasons, since it can occur anywhere on the body.

Among the known causes of the disease today are:

genetic pathologies, including anomalies of the central nervous system and the skeletal system due to viral diseases transferred by the mother in the initial stages of pregnancy (in this case, hypertrichosis is one of the symptoms);
spinal dysraphia- a congenital ailment that occurs due to a violation of the development of the neural tube of the fetus during intrauterine life (more often manifested by the appearance of an excessive amount of hair on the lower back);
neurofibromatosis- characterized by the appearance of uncharacteristic long hairs in the chest area and is a serious hereditary disease;
metabolic problems and hormonal imbalances, which is often associated with certain periods of a person’s life (for example, changes in the body of adolescents), the bearing of a baby by a woman or problems with the endocrine glands (for example, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, malignant neoplasms of the adrenal glands, thyroid gland, ovaries);
neoplasms in the brain and mammary glands;
serious mental disorders and psycho-emotional deviations(among the most common - epilepsy);
scarring on the skin in places of injury and constant mechanical impact on the same part of the body (in this place blood flow is accelerated, which is why hair follicles are stimulated);
precocious puberty.

In addition, increased hair formation can also be affected by constant cosmetic and medical procedures that increase blood flow to the hair follicles: for example, paraffin therapy, pepper plasters, mustard plasters, the use of ointments with glucocorticosteroids, prolonged massages, cryotherapy, etc. It is worth avoiding and any procedure for pulling out hair, especially on the face.

Based on the specific cause of hypertrichosis, one can also judge its form: congenital or acquired.

Important! When assessing the condition of a person with a high level of hairiness, such a factor as nationality should also be taken into account, because what will be the norm for some peoples, for representatives of others, it is likely to be manifestations of hypertrichosis (for example, excessive hair formation is typical for residents Caucasus, Israel and citizens of Arab states, while for Europeans this is already a pathology).

Classification

You can acquire hypertrichosis in only two main ways: to be born with it or to get it in the process of life due to certain factors. At the same time, many experts consider the latter option not so terrible, since it is much easier to get rid of it than from a congenital pathology.

If a child is born with increased body hair, then most likely there was a genetic mutation that caused a change in epithelial cells, which are increasingly acquiring the characteristics of the epidermis. This usually happens due to infectious diseases that a woman suffers in the early stages of pregnancy, the development of preeclampsia, or the threat of premature termination.

There are also cases when, in the absence of obvious signs of hypertrichosis, the baby is a carrier of a damaged gene and is able to pass it on to his descendants.

Today, there are many forms of a congenital hereditary disease that are already noticeable at the birth of a baby: for example, hair growth can be universal or germinal, which further progresses strongly in the puberty period and remains with a person until the end of his life.

In most cases, in such babies, at first the junction of hair and eyebrows is clearly visible, but with further development, during the neonatal period and early childhood, the territory of hair growth increases, and only the palms and feet become an exception. The length of soft fluffy hairs may well reach ten centimeters.

In some cases, the congenital form of the disease is not immediately noticeable, but only after 2-7 years of the baby's life. Thick, thin, long, pigmented hairline begins to grow at an incredible rate, in some situations combined with adentia (lack of tooth growth), dystrophy, central nervous system problems and other defects.

True, variants of an isolated form are quite possible, when the disease is not associated with other anomalies and manifests itself only at puberty or in the involutionary period.

Among the congenital forms of the described disease, it is worth highlighting the local form, which is expressed in the appearance of strongly curly long hairs of different colors on the pigmented part of the body: a birthmark with hairs or a “faun bundle” in the sacral zone (the result of a pathological condition of the sacral zone of the spine).

Important! The risk of a congenital form increases if the disease has already occurred in someone in the family (if after one generation, then the risk of developing a future baby is 50%). Transmission of the disease is possible from any parent.

As the name implies, unlike the congenital form of hypertrichosis, its acquired variant appears at any time in a person's life and has no genetic explanation. The main subspecies of this disease are:

Acquired vellus-type hypertrichosis when the embryonic hairline can reach a length of 15 cm in just two to three months (increased hair growth is noticeable first on the front, and then the growth of hairs is noticeable throughout the body, leaving only the palms and feet intact). In almost 100% of situations, just such hypertrichosis is an early evidence of the development of neoplasms in the lungs, urinary or gall bladders, and uterus.
Acquired traumatic disease- appears in the area of injury, on scars, places of damage to peripheral nerves (usually combined with hyperhidrosis), or at points of prolonged exposure to pepper plasters, plaster bandages, ointments and other similar cosmetic and medicinal products (for women, one of the most common causes is hair removal, depilation, paraffin therapy and mud applications).
Drug hypertrichosis- a consequence of the use of certain external drugs: for example, "Psoriasin", ointments based on glucocorticosteroids, "Antipsoriaticum", "Danazol", "Minoxidil", "Cyclosporine" and some other medicines that stimulate hair growth. Sometimes increased hair growth is the result of the use of androgenic, anabolic and anti-tuberculosis drugs.
Neurogenic hypertrichosis- due to the negative impact on the peripheral nerve, or any part of the spinal cord.
Symptomatic variety occurs as a sign tuberculosis (in children it is often noticeable between the shoulder blades), malignant neoplasms in the brain, certain chromosomal ailments, diabetes mellitus, some mental illnesses in women (hair grows mainly under the nose or on the chin), hypothalamic-pituitary syndrome and other ailments . Sometimes symptomatic hypertrichosis actively progresses with neurofibromatosis and dermatomyositis.

To eliminate any of these problems, you first need to get rid of its specific cause. In some cases, this is easier to do, in others a little more difficult, but if you want to feel good and look great, then treatment is a must.

How and in what parts of the body it manifests itself

Despite the similarity of the problem in representatives of different sexes and ages, the features of the manifestation of hypertrichosis still have their differences. Let's find out which ones.

Among women

If there is a problem of increased body hair in women, excessive hair growth is usually noted on the chin, in the area of nasolabial folds, decollete, genitals and over the entire surface of the limbs. By the way, in the so-called "bikini zone", the hair area expands according to the male pattern.

Local varieties of hypertrichosis in the fairer sex include, for example, a problem localized in different parts of the sternum, and the same prothoracic variant may not be an independent disease, but only a symptom of another disease (often neurofibromatosis, combined with depressed sternum).

The local lumbar manifestation of hypertrichosis is sometimes associated with spinal dysraphia, that is, non-fusion of the spinal column. With such a problem, a bunch of soft and long hairy vegetation will be present in the affected area.

Usually the female version of hypertrichosis is supplemented by other neurological symptoms, in the form of weakness in the limbs, sphincter insufficiency and loss of sensitivity. The only way to get rid of these problems is through surgery.

With increased facial hair, the area of \u200b\u200bthe eyebrows is usually affected (fuse together), and this problem is often observed in several members of the same family.

The local variant of female hypertrichosis, as well as male, involves the presence of congenital malformations and manifests itself in fairly large hairy birthmarks, called nevi. In some cases, they are covered with colorless downy hairs, while in others they are dark and hard.

Did you know? Astrologers believe that the location of moles and birthmarks on the body can tell a lot about the fate and character of their owners. For example, a mole on the cheek indicates a benevolent and hardworking person, while a similar mark on the nose would be considered a sign of irascibility and passion.

In men

Male hypertrichosis occupies about 14% of the total number of cases of this deviation. Usually it is expressed in increased hair growth in areas with standard, male hairline growth, just in this case there is a lot of hair. So, often the disease manifests itself on the back, shoulder area, legs and is considered a sign of atavism, accompanying boys from the maternity hospital. However, as in the case of the female sex, options for total hair growth are possible.

In children

In childhood, hypertrichosis is usually associated with nevi and acts as a congenital pathology (pronounced signs of the disease throughout the body are rare: about one case per billion births) .

In such children, the entire fluff cover, which normally should have disappeared even in the prenatal period, does not go anywhere and is clearly visible in the first minutes of the baby's life. However, if the slight pubescence can still disappear in the next few weeks of the baby's life, then the abnormally stiff, dark and densely growing hairs remain with the child for many years.

If the baby has no problems with the endocrine system and there are no signs of malignant or benign neoplasms, then hypertrichosis does not threaten anything, being only an aesthetic problem.

Did you know? Before the end of puberty, the correction of the disease in children is carried out by bleaching the hair with a three percent solution of hydrogen peroxide, or removing the hairline with special creams.

The appearance of excess vegetation in the nasal cavity and auricles is one of the most common variants of hypertrichosis, however, mainly in males.

Causes

The main reason for the development of the problem is an increased amount of androgens in the blood, and this feature may well be inherited: during the bearing of the baby, under the influence of some external factor, a mutation occurs in the gene responsible for the strength of the hairiness of the skin, and after joining Y- chromosome, the disease will be transmitted to future boys born in this genus.

In the absence of other physiological pathologies, no special treatment is needed in this case, standard cosmetic manipulations will suffice.

In females, this pathology occurs infrequently and in most cases develops against the background of excessive hair growth, manifested in the growth of a beard, mustache and hard cover in the back, abdomen and chest.

Such virilism is often diagnosed with individual endocrine and neuroendocrine ailments, or as an individual feature in completely healthy women. In the latter case, the main possible causes are an increase in the secretion of androgens or an increased sensitivity of body tissues to their effects.

signs

The congenital form of hypertrichosis immediately after the birth of the baby may not manifest itself in any way. Normally, the body of a newborn is often covered with a thick layer of fluff - lanugo, which disappears on its own after a few weeks or months (no more than four).

If the boy has a hereditary predisposition to hypertrichosis of the auricles, then the first signs of pathology will be noticeable only by the age of 17, as soon as the hormonal restructuring of the body comes to its logical conclusion and the content of hormones in the blood remains at a consistently high level.

In the case when, even before this age, increased hair growth in the ear area was not observed, then, most likely, the first signs will appear after 35 years. Moreover, it is likely that in this case, increased hair growth will coincide with baldness of the head, which occurs due to an excess of androgens in the blood.

Hair can appear both along the edge of the ear shell and on the skin of the external auditory canal. Usually, this feature does not cause any trouble, although there are those who consider it a significant cosmetic defect.

Diagnostics

Hypertrichosis is not always an independent disease, therefore, in order to get rid of its unpleasant manifestations, you will first have to conduct a comprehensive diagnosis of all organs and systems of your body.

Examination by a doctor

The first specialists to be visited in case of increased hair growth are a dermatologist, endocrinologist and gynecologist, because it is their diagnostic methods, most often, that help to determine the problem of excessive hair growth.

Each of the doctors will conduct a full examination and give his opinion, after which it will be possible to judge the nature of everything that happens. If none of them find traces of hormonal imbalance, then the treatment of hypertrichosis will be performed only by hair removal.

Important! Attempts to independently solve the problem can lead to its aggravation, because not all methods of removing unwanted vegetation can be used in each case. What is better to choose - the cosmetologist will tell you.

Analyzes

The first and main task to confirm or refute the diagnosis of "hypertrichosis" is to check the level of male hormones in the blood, for which, in fact, a biochemical blood test is performed. Its results also give an idea of the level of the predominant pathological process: in the presence of congenital hypertrichosis, already from this study, conclusions can be drawn about the developing endocrine disease. Of course, having dealt with it, you will solve the problem of increased hair growth.

In addition, a clinical blood test is mandatory and hair samples are analyzed to determine their mineral composition.

Surveys

Each of the above-mentioned specialists can prescribe their own specialized examinations. This can be an ultrasound of the pelvic organs (in women) and the thyroid gland, CT, MRI of the brain and even x-rays. The main task of doctors, especially if there is no increased level of androgens in the blood, is to exclude the possible development of oncology and other serious problems, since many of them have symptoms similar to hypertrichosis.

Fundamentals of treatment

As soon as it is possible to determine the true cause of increased body hair growth, you can proceed to the direct elimination of the problem. Depending on the results of all examinations and tests passed, there will be two options for solving the problem: either drug therapy to solve the root cause (for example, thyroid problems), or cosmetic procedures.

Medical therapy

A gynecologist, endocrinologist or the same dermatologist, when studying the patient's condition and the characteristics of the course of the disease, should choose the most adequate treatment. So, if a person has been diagnosed with an endocrine disease, then all prescribed drugs should be aimed at eliminating any endocrine disorders.

For each patient, corrective drug therapy is selected individually, because cosmetic procedures alone cannot bring the desired effect. The same applies to gynecological problems, such as polycystic ovaries.

Depending on the severity and characteristics of the course of a particular disease, its treatment can be quite extended in time, so you need to be patient and set yourself up only for a positive outcome.

Important! In the presence of a gynecological or endocrine underlying cause of hypertrichosis, shaving, waxing, or other methods of removing unwanted hair are likely to exacerbate the problem: hair will grow back stiffer and thicker.

Cosmetic procedures

This variant of the fight against increased body hair is used as a symptomatic solution to the problem.

If, after all the diagnostic procedures that have been passed, the real cause of hypertrichosis has not been found, then it remains only to get rid of the annoying vegetation in the old and proven way - epilation.

In this case, the most optimal solution to the problem would be electric hair removal, and, based on the threshold of human pain sensitivity, it can take place both without the use of anesthesia and with local anesthesia.

The essence of the procedure is as follows: a special needle is inserted into the follicle of each hair on the selected area of the body, after which the device delivers an electric discharge, destroying the bulb. The hair, which no longer has anything to eat, falls out on its own.

On average, one such epilation session takes up to half an hour, but more specific time costs are determined by the area of impact and the structural features of the hair.

This method is able to completely rid a person of all visible manifestations of hypertrichosis, and among the shortcomings, one can only distinguish the comparative pain of the procedure and the duration of treatment. For example, in order to completely get rid of the manifestations of hypertrichosis in the chin area, you will have to go through at least 60 sessions during the year.

If we are talking about children and adolescents suffering from increased body hair, then electric hair removal is completely contraindicated for them. In this case, the hairline is removed by applying special creams (chemical depilation), and peroxide bleaching can be used to make it less noticeable.

Possible Complications

If the root cause of increased hair growth is not any cancer or other serious illnesses, then the main complications include psychological problems, expressed in low self-esteem and the difficulty of building social relationships.

Usually, children and adolescents suffer the most from psychological discomfort, although depression associated with the current state is not excluded in adult life.

If the development of hypertrichosis is based on some endocrine or gynecological problem, then, in addition to psychological issues, it is possible to aggravate the physical condition of a person, up to the appearance of infertility, problems with being overweight (often due to hormonal imbalances), etc.

Prevention

To reduce the risk of a congenital form of hypertrichosis, it is recommended that the expectant mother give up all bad habits, spend more time outdoors, visit doctors regularly and follow all their instructions.

As for the prevention of the acquired form of the disease, it is very important to contact a specialist in a timely manner to diagnose and treat hormonal abnormalities or any other disease that can lead to increased hair growth in certain areas of the body.

Hypertrichosis is not a sentence, but rather an unpleasant problem, therefore, the sooner you start looking for its causes and solutions, the better it will be for you.

Watch a video about congenital hypertrichosis

Hypertrichosis (excessive hair growth) is a disease that manifests itself in excessive hair growth in certain places uncharacteristic for such an area of the skin: above the lips, on the abdomen, chest, arms, back and chin. This disease can occur some time after birth and form in adulthood. It is not harmful to health, but it is considered an aesthetic defect. And yet, hypertrichosis - what is it, how does it manifest itself? This will be discussed further in the article.

How hair grows

"Vegetation" on the head and body is a completely natural phenomenon for any person. During intrauterine maturation of the fetus, hair growth goes over the entire exterior of its skin. As a rule, by the stage of birth, these hairs disappear, and later they are replaced first by vellus, and then by terminal ones.

Each person has vellus hair: they cover his body, grow on the face of women and children. Such hairs are normally soft and light, their length does not exceed 1.5 mm. Terminal hair is also considered normal, but it has a different structure: darker and coarser.

How hormones affect their growth

Androgens largely affect the hair follicles, because they determine the frequency of loss, growth and structure of the hairline. If there are any disruptions with hormones in the body, then hypertrichosis may appear in women. The photo is shown below.

Androgens are able to act on hair follicles throughout the body, but some of them are insensitive to these hormones - for example, vellus hair, eyelashes and eyebrows. Some, on the contrary, have very good sensitivity. It is precisely the influence of androgen that motivates the change of soft pubic hairs in children to hard ones during puberty.

These hormones also have an effect on hair growth on the face and head in men, but they have their own specifics. For example, in the male sex, an excess of testosterone can lead not only to an increase, but also to hair loss. It should also be noted here that the formation of hair follicles in the back area in men is not always a problem of hypertrichosis. In all people, the performance of these hormones is carried out in different ways. Hence the conclusion that some have little hair, while others have a lot.

Hypertrichosis: signs

Such a disease develops in stages, that is, the manifestations progress progressively. The patient begins to notice that the intensive growth of vellus hairs dominates, while they grow over the entire surface of the body.

However, there are other symptoms that significantly reduce the quality of life. With inherited hypertrichosis, the malaise is considered incurable, and it begins to develop immediately after birth. Increased hairiness in the baby spreads in the lumbar region, and tufts of long hair can be seen along the entire spine.

Even in children, hypertrichosis is inherited as a sign of irritability, nervousness, appetite disorders, restless sleep and bad mood. Caring parents need to pay special attention to such changes in the behavior of the child, immediately making an appointment with the local pediatrician.

The acquired nature of this disease also has its manifestations, which make themselves felt by increased hair growth in the sternum, nasolabial folds, on the limbs and pubis. In addition, hair also grows on birthmarks, in moles, representing a clear cosmetic defect. If you remove such "vegetation" on your own, then the signs of the disease can only get worse. So, neither the use of wax, nor laser hair removal, as well as other cosmetic measures without advance therapy is indicated and even contraindicated.

Types of disease

Hypertrichosis - what is it really? This is a very unpleasant disease, which also has its own varieties. In terms of symptoms, degree and areas of hair growth, such a disease can be divided into 2 main types:

Total hair growth

Hairs grow all over the human body. Often this type of disease is congenital. This happens because the germinal black hair is not replaced by light vellus, but continues to form. In some cases, such "thickets" can reach up to 10 cm in length.

Hypertrichosis of some parts of the body

This type of disease is divided, in turn, into subspecies:

Lumbar hypertrichosis in women and men. Soft, long and dark hair grows in the lumbar region. Along with this, neurological signs and non-fusion of the spine (spinal dysraphia) can often be observed.
Birth defects - nevi, abundantly covered with hairs. Such birthmarks can be light and black, reach different contours and sizes. There is the concept of Becker's melanosis, and this disease manifests itself in the form of a nevus of huge volumes. The malaise is characterized by a skin lesion of an unchanged form, which pigments already in old age.
Prothoracic (presternal hypertrichosis) - hair growth in the chest area.

What are the causes of the disease?

First of all, it must be taken into account that the malaise is acquired at various periods of life or congenital. You can consider the main prerequisites for the formation of the disease:

Diagnostics

Such a disease requires an integrated approach, where therapy should begin with a visit to a dermatologist, endocrinologist and gynecologist - these experts give their opinions. After this, it is imperative to perform a biochemical blood test, which will determine the patient's hormonal background, as well as the stage of the underlying pathological process. If congenital hypertrichosis dominates, the photo of which is shown below, then by laboratory analysis it is possible to conclude that the predominant disease of the endocrine system.

In addition, the doctor should make a visual examination and find out in detail the history of the characteristic disease. Complaints of the patient testify to the main disease in the body. Special ones are not needed. After establishing the correct diagnosis, therapy should begin as soon as possible.

Hypertrichosis: treatment

The goal of drug therapy is to eliminate the causes of increased hair growth. To do this, you should follow all the instructions of a specialist who will prescribe symptomatic, hormonal and substitution treatment. The selection of hormonal drugs should be done on an individual basis, and dosage adjustment will protect against severe health problems, as well as exacerbation of side effects.

In addition, certain cosmetic measures are necessary that will prevent and eliminate increased hairiness. You can also remove hair with the help of electric hair removal, specific depilatory products, shaving and bleaching preparations. It is forbidden to remove them with a laser or wax, since such procedures only increase the symptoms.

Nevertheless, experts advise to produce electric hair removal, because they consider this method the most popular and effective. If the event becomes too painful, then it is allowed to perform it under local anesthesia.

One way or another, the clinical conclusion is quite favorable, however, it is recommended to treat hypertrichosis (what it is already known to readers of this article) in a timely manner.

Excess hair growth in unusual places is called hypertrichosis. This is the presence of hair and their growth in atypical places, regardless of the sex and age of the patient. For example, hair can cover the face, back, legs of a person.

There is also a separate type of hypertrichosis - hirsutism. Here, hair growth is observed in typical places according to the male type. In men, this is an increase in hair growth; in women, vegetation appears on the chest, arms, legs, chin, upper lip and cheeks.

The nationality of the patient matters. Southern peoples are distinguished by denser and more abundant vegetation, in contrast to, for example, Asian ones.

What for southern women is a variant of the norm (for example, the growth of hair on the hips), for Asian women becomes a manifestation of the disease.

Excess hair is not just a cosmetic flaw, in fact, it can be a symptom of a serious pathology or a harbinger of cancer.

Modern medicine answers the question of what hypertrichosis is, what are its signs and the mechanism of inheritance.

The disease can be hereditary, occur when the functioning of the hormonal system is disturbed, due to a traumatic brain injury, or manifest itself as an atavism.

Symptoms

Symptoms are different for different types of pathology.

In women, hair covers the face in the area of the chin and nasolabial folds, pubis and lower abdomen, inner thighs.

Vegetation also appears in completely atypical places, usually covered only with fluff - on the back, forehead, arms, chest, and lumbar region.

The coat is in the form of a thick, abundant fluff, but it can also have well-colored, thick and long hair.

With congenital pathology, hair can cover the entire body of the baby - the buttocks, back, even the palms and soles. Often, congenital hypertrichosis is combined with some serious pathology.

In children, hypertrichosis is often combined with nevi - age spots covered with hair.

In men, the diagnosis of hypertrichosis is made in case of excessive hair growth.

For example, with the development of the disease, hair grows on a bald head, which differs from the previous ones in weak pigmentation and thickness (thinner, weaker).

There is also increased hair growth of the back, legs, face.

Such a frequent occurrence as fused eyebrows is also a sign of hypertrichosis.

Causes

There are congenital and acquired hypertrichosis. The congenital form of pathology is not treated. For people with hypertrichosis, it is important to know how the disease is inherited.

Congenital pathology occurs when a genetic failure occurs as a result of an infection carried by the mother in the first trimester or its abnormal course.

Chronic alcohol intoxication of the fetus can also provoke pathology. The pathological gene is built into the gene memory and is able to manifest itself several generations later in a distant descendant.

Sometimes it is a sign of diseases such as dermatomyositis, epidermolysis bullosa, porphyria (a genetic liver disease), nervous exhaustion, anorexia.

As a result of a traumatic brain injury, a traumatic type of pathology is manifested.

The reason is the lack of nutrients and vitamins, due to malnutrition.

Most often, the acquired form of the disease progresses when the endocrine system malfunctions. These are pathologies of the ovaries, pituitary gland, epiphysis, thyroid gland, adrenal glands.

Often the disease begins against the background of hormonal disorders - in puberty, with menopause, hormone therapy.

They can provoke organic changes caused by neoplastic neoplasms or nervous damage, for example, prolonged or severe stress, mental trauma.

Excessive hair growth can also be caused by external factors that increase blood circulation in a certain area. This is the use of external medicines, mustard plasters, physiotherapy procedures (heating, paraffin therapy, cryotherapy), frequent depilation.

Pathological hair growth can be provoked by drugs - antibacterial agents of the penicillin and cephalosporin groups, streptomycin, GCS.

This is a pathology that manifests itself in excessive hair growth that is not characteristic of sex, body area or age. At the same time, thin colorless vellus hair becomes hard and pigmented. The most common is considered congenital hypertrichosis.

Among women there is abnormal hair growth in the buttocks, thighs, chest, limbs and on the face. Eyebrow fusion is a symptom of localized hypertrichosis.

Often, hypertrichosis is accompanied by weakness in the legs, loss of sensation in the limbs.

Local congenital hypertrichosis is manifested by the presence of hair on a birthmark pigment spot or in the form of a bunch of long hair in the lumbar region.

Complications of hypertrichosis

Hypertrichosis is a pronounced cosmetic defect that affects the quality of life and causes serious psychological problems that can result in persistent depression. Hypertrichosis itself is not dangerous, the survival rate for this pathology is 100%.

Prevention of hypertrichosis

In order to minimize the risk of hypertrichosis, you should listen to the recommendations of doctors:

1 before you start taking new drugs, carefully read the annotation and assess the risk of side effects;
2 try to avoid frequent exposure of the skin to traumatic factors that stimulate blood circulation. This applies to modern cosmetic and depilatory procedures: cryotherapy, sugaring, waxing, shaving;
3 do not abuse hormonal creams and ointments;
4 avoid stress and emotional overload;
5 timely treat endocrine diseases;
6 timely treatment of hormonal pathologies.

If abnormal hair growth appears, consult a doctor, as hypertrichosis can be a precursor of a tumor.

To prevent the congenital form of hypertrichosis, pregnant women should give up bad habits, walk a lot in the fresh air, and avoid intense physical exertion.

Massage, paraffin applications, mud therapy, mustard plasters and the use of nourishing creams are contraindicated for those suffering from hypertrichosis.

Treatment of hypertrichosis in official medicine

Drug treatment will be effective only if the cause of hypertrichosis is precisely established. After collecting anamnesis and determining the hormonal background, the endocrinologist or gynecologist prescribes treatment aimed at stabilizing the patient's mental state and correcting hormonal disorders. If the disease was provoked by medications, then the doctor will select analogues with milder side effects. If the cause of the disease is polycystic ovaries, then the gynecologist prescribes the appropriate treatment. If hypertrichosis provoked stress or a nervous breakdown, then the doctor will select antidepressants to stabilize the emotional background. Congenital hypertrichosis cannot be treated.

As a symptomatic treatment, epilation is a good option. But hair removal gives only a short-term effect. You can bleach your hair with dyes or hydrogen peroxide.

Useful foods for hypertrichosis

Abnormal hair growth is one of the signs of hormonal imbalance. Proper nutrition with hypertrichosis will help balance the hormonal system of the body.

If the patient is obese, then he needs to increase physical activity, minimize the intake of easily digestible carbohydrates, give preference to fresh vegetables, fruits and greens.

Traditional medicine for hypertrichosis

Grind 50-60 fresh raspberry leaves and place in a liter jar, add 0.5 liters of vodka, leave for 9-10 days and drink 10-12 drops 3 times a day;
grind the dried root of white acacia, mix ½ teaspoon of raw materials with 1 tbsp. boiling water and cook for 4-5 minutes, then insist for 1 hour. Drink the resulting broth before meals for 1/3 cup;
for 6 months, rub the places of abnormal hair growth with the juice of horse chestnut seeds;
treat hair with unripe walnut juice;
burn a walnut, dilute the ash in water and lubricate the places of abnormal hair growth;
milkweed juice fights well with increased hairiness;
within 2 weeks, insist on the sun on a glass of vodka partitions from 15 walnuts. Take 1 tbsp. spoon daily;
Mix 100 g of unripe walnut juice with 10 g of tar, tightly close the lid and leave in a dark place for 3 weeks, treat the skin twice a day;
150 g of dope grass pour 1 liter of water and boil for 10-15 minutes. Lubricate the places of hair growth with the resulting decoction;

Hypertrichosis is a pathology of the skin of the scalp, caused by a genetic mutation and hormonal dysfunction. This disease is also known as "Werewolf Syndrome, or Yetty".

It is characterized by the presence of hair growth everywhere, even in those areas of the skin or mucous membranes where it is not provided for by neurohumoral regulation (hormone androgen), for example: the inner part of the palm or foot, neck, buttocks, shoulder girdle, nipple halo, hypertrichosis of the auricle.

In adults, the presence of abundant hair growth is visible even in the stomach.

The disease affects different strata of the social, age and gender categories. When making a diagnosis, it is necessary to take into account the ethnic characteristics of a person, his age (the area covered by the hairy areas of the body in a man of 30 and a boy of 10 years old differs to a large extent), gender (hair in men and women occurs in different types).

Hypertrichosis is a disease in which vellus hairs, devoid of pigmentation, degenerate from thin and soft into coarse rod hairs, with a pronounced dark pigment inside.

The causes of the disease must be considered based on its form of occurrence: congenital or acquired.

Congenital hypertrichosis

Congenital pathology occurs due to gene mutation under the influence of various toxic factors.

During the mutation, epithelial cells change their structure, acquiring properties characteristic of the epidermis.

Hypertrichosis is inherited as a Y-linked trait. Hypertrichosis is inherited as a sign of hollandic inheritance, i.e. as a recessive gene linked to the Y-chromosome.

This type of inheritance is determined by the transfer of a trait by phenotype from one generation to the next through the male line.

This means that if the father suffers from hypertrichosis, then the sons will also inherit this disease.

What is the probability of offspring with a certain phenotype in future generations can be understood based on the basics of genetics.

Since hypertrichosis is determined by a gene lying on the Y-chromosome, therefore all sons (XY-chromosome) will have the father's phenotype, and daughters (XX-chromosome) will have normal skin with typical moderate female type hair on the body.

Also, a hereditary predisposition that causes hypertrichosis in a child can be transmitted from generation to generation in an autosomal dominant type, this type of inheritance causes acquired hypertrichosis of vellus hair.

The degree of inheritance of the trait is equal between the sexes. This type of hair growth does not entail any negative consequences for the child.

Genetic mutations may be associated with severe pregnancy, especially under the influence of negative factors in the 1st trimester, with chronic alcohol intoxication of the fetus and infectious diseases.

In newborns, immediately after birth, the symptoms of hypertrichosis can appear and be latent in a ratio of 50-50%, the gene responsible for the development of this disease can remain in the form of carriage and will appear only after a generation.

Acquired forms of hypertrichosis

The acquisition of Abrams syndrome or hypertrichosis (the syndrome received the name of the scientist who first described the clinical symptoms and genetic predisposition to the disease) can be triggered by a number of reasons, including:

Violation of the secretory functions of the internal glands: ovaries, adrenal glands, pituitary gland;
Changes in the regulation of hormones in the body during periods of physiological hormonal surges, also as a result;
Taking hormonal drugs for more than 6 months;
Neoplasms of the brain, damage to the stem formations of the nerves, epilepsy;
Frequent stressful situations and strong psycho-emotional experiences;
Infections of the brain, its inflammatory processes;
The impact of external factors on the skin (mustard, plaster, various hormonal ointments);
Physical effect on the epidermis: hair removal by depilation, shaving, wax or paraffin application.
Chronic inflammatory processes of the skin.

The main symptoms and diagnosis of hypertrichosis

Symptoms of hypertrichosis can occur in women, men and children equally, and are associated primarily with unreasonable hair growth in certain areas.

For example, if hairiness in men is a sign of masculinity, then for women and children, the presence is a pathology. Let us consider in more detail the symptoms of hypertrichosis in different sexes:

The presence of coarse black hair growth on the chin and above the upper lip.
Hair on the nipples, with sunken chest.
Increased hairiness of the limbs.
The presence of hard long black hair in the coccyx, the so-called "Ponytail".
Hair on buttocks.
Growing thick eyebrows.
Male pattern hair - hirsutism.

Hirsutism is a hypertrichosis in women, caused by hair growth under the influence of androgen hormones in places, characteristic of male hair growth.

Hypertrichosis and hirsutism are united by a common feature - uncharacteristic hair growth, but they have a number of differences between themselves.

So, the term hirsutism is characterized by the growth of terminal (non-vellus hair) on the face in women, chest, back, midline of the abdomen, on the coccyx and is due to a violation of the hormonal regulation of male sex hormones in the body of the weaker sex.

Therefore, hirsutism is observed only in women. Dishormonal background, namely the predominance of androgens and testosterone in combination with a reduced amount of estrogen lead to - acquired baldness.

When the pigmented terminal hair on a woman's head is replaced by vellus.

There is another concept with the norm of hair growth in women - generalized idiopathic hypertrichosis.

They are characterized by those states of increased hair growth, when it cannot be justified by any reasons.

At the same time, the production of female sex hormones is not disturbed, the functions of menstruation and ovulation are fully preserved. Violations at the genetic level in this disease have not been identified.

In men, excessive hairiness is a sign of pathology if male-type hair growth is too intense and hair growth is not commensurate with nationality and age.

Often, increased hairiness is formed in men as a result of the use of steroid drugs and as a result of mechanical damage to the epidermal layer.

In boys and young men who have reached puberty, hypertrichosis can occur as a result of hypergonadism - associated with and testosterone.

A frequent manifestation of the disease in sexually mature men is the hairiness of the auricle.

Excessive hair formation near the external auditory canal and at the edge of the auricle in most cases is hereditary in nature - from father to son.

Another reason for the occurrence of this cosmetic pathology is an overabundance of the production of testosterone and androgen hormones.

The disease in children has both congenital and acquired prerequisites.

Normally, fluffy hairs cover the body of a child while still in the mother's womb, performing the function of protection, and disappear when the baby is born.

If the hair does not roll down by the time the child reaches 3-4 months of age, this already indicates congenital hypertrichosis.

It can be both local and local - in the form of a large mole with characteristic hair growth.

Very common is the pathology in the sacrum - a combination of non-union between the vertebral arches and the presence of abundant growth of hard black hair.

Secondary, or acquired hypertrichosis in children develops against the background of injuries or infections.

Tuberculosis can lead to hair growth in the area of the shoulder blades;
Puberty is the growth of hair in girls in the area of the end of the nose above the lip, on the chin and in the buccal cavities, as well as on the limbs, which is provoked by hormonal changes.
Hypertrichosis is caused by a violation of the nervous innervation when wearing a cast, injuries, swelling of the skin area.

In children, namely in girls in adolescence, the occurrence of hirsutism is also possible, the mechanisms of development of which and the symptoms of manifestation are similar to women.

Hair removal for children at home is not recommended due to the aggravation of the growth of coarser hair.

Treatment

Treatment of hypertrichosis is based on establishing the cause of its occurrence and includes various methods.

Medical therapy

Treatment of hypertrichosis should be based on the diagnostic conclusions of such specialists as a trichologist, dermatologist, endocrinologist, if necessary, a urologist and gynecologist.

It is mandatory to consult an oncologist, since vellus hypertrichosis in adulthood may indicate neoplasms in the body.

Drug therapy is carried out symptomatically, the patient is prescribed:

Hormonal preparations - for their corrective effect on the body;
Drugs that improve the functioning of the nervous system, if necessary - corrective mental states.
Local dermatological.
According to the indications of doctors - specialists - specific therapy.

Physiotherapy methods

It should only be used under the guidance of a dermatologist or trichologist. Commonly used methods:

Epilation

To eliminate hypertrichosis, laser and photo epilation is used. The first slows down the growth of hairs and destroys the follicles from which they appear through thermal exposure.

The main sources of laser radiation:

Photoepilation has an irritating effect on vellus hair, it falls out under the influence of absorption energy.

However, some researchers still do not recommend these procedures due to side effects.

Folk remedies

They are used mainly in the form of lotions, applications on the site of hyperactive hair growth.

It is believed that these remedies can stop the formation of follicles and contribute to the loss of terminal hair:

Contraindications and treatment prognosis

With hypertrichosis, manipulations associated with physical effects on the skin (the use of scrubs, paraffin, hormonal ointments, wax and mercury preparations, self-massage and radiation exposure) are strictly prohibited.

Prediction of getting rid of the disease is quite favorable, provided that you contact qualified doctors and follow their instructions.

However, congenital hypertrichosis due to gene mutations is incurable.

If excessive hair growth can be overcome by epilation, shaving and other methods, then the symptoms associated with the disease (dementia, blindness, etc.) cannot be corrected.

There are no special preventive measures to prevent the onset of the disease.

In the presence of a hereditary predisposition or disease in one of the parents, one can only periodically observe the degree of hair growth in characteristic places on the body, and if there are alarming symptoms, consult a doctor.