When Hair Grows Where You'd Rather it Didn't.

The other day, I felt the telltale stiffness of a two or three hairs growing on the left corner of the underside of my chin. These hairs seem to crop up every month or so and I always pluck them out before they're noticeable to other people. Unlike most of the hair on my body, which tends to be very fine and blonde, these hairs are dark and stiff... almost like whiskers! Thankfully, I have only found them on that one spot on my body and, as long as I don't try to pluck them when they're too short, they're easily taken care of... at least for the next month or so.

In the next couple of weeks, I will celebrate my 38th birthday. A few weeks after that, my husband Bill will turn 46. We're both getting older, creakier, and... hairier. Thankfully, the hairier part of getting older currently affects Bill much more than it does me. He grows insanely long hair on his ear lobes, eyebrows, and sometimes even his nose, even as the hair on his head grows thinner. My unwanted hair growth is mostly confined to the left side of my chin, my big toes, my right foot, and sometimes one particular hair follicle on one of my breasts. And my hair growth is usually confined to just a few hairs that most people wouldn't notice. Bill, on the other hand, needs to pluck frequently. Like a lot of guys, he doesn't often do it until I nag him.

All of this unwanted hair growth got me to thinking and wondering the other day. Why do people grow hair in unwanted places as they age, especially when scalp hair tends to grows thinner? Why does my husband grow several long, wild, eyebrow hairs on one side of his body, while the other side stays nice and neat? Why do the two or three "whiskers" that show up on my chin only grow on one side of the body?

My enquiring mind wanted to know, so I started looking for answers on the Internet. Surprisingly enough, there's not that much information about "weird hair growth". The overwhelming explanation I got from reading several rather unofficial sources is that the hair growth that seems to crop up in the form of a few random hairs has to do with hormonal fluctuations and changes in the hair growth cycles that occur as we age.

Hirsuitism vs hypertrichosis

Excessive hair growth is medically known as hypertrichosis. Hypertrichosis is defined as "excessive hair growth over and above the normal for the age, sex, and race of an individual." By contrast, in women changes in hormone levels can lead to a condition called hirsuitism. Hirsuitism is different from hypertrichnosis in that it causes "excess hair growth in women following a male distribution pattern." While hypertrichosis can occur anywhere on the body, hirsuitism tends to happen mostly on the face.

What causes all this unwanted hair to grow?

Like I mentioned before, excess hair growth in older people tends to occur due to hormonal fluctuations and changes in the hair growth cycles. However, there are few other reasons why people can grow hair where they never expected to. For example, people who are extremely thin due to starvation can develop what's known as lanugo, which is a fine, downy hair that seems to function as a means of helping the person stay warm. Exposure to certain drugs or chemicals can cause some people to grow unwanted hair. Metabolic disorders and even some types of cancer can lead to acquired hypertrichosis as well.

What can a person do to get rid of unwanted hair?

There are several methods of getting rid of unwanted hair, although most measures are temporary. Naturally, the first thing a person might do is grab a razor and shave it off. Dermatologists seem to like this option, since it's less likely to damage the skin or hair follicle than are other methods. Of course, shaving only takes care of the part of the hair that grows above the skin surface, so you may find yourself having to shave fairly often. You can also cut yourself when you shave.

Scissors are a valuable tool for removing hair, particularly because they're pretty safe to use. Scissors may not allow getting close enough to the base of the unwanted hair as other methods would.

Tweezing is a method I tend to use a lot, mainly because I don't (yet) have that many hairs to get rid of and my goal is not to remove all of the hair in a particular area. However, tweezers can be dangerous if you're not careful with them, particularly if you're using them near the ear or nose. I find that tweezing is the only way to get rid of the hair on my chin to my satisfaction, but if I tweeze before the hair has grown enough, I sometimes injure the skin. Tweezing can also be painful and time consuming, particularly if there's a lot of unwanted hair to be removed in this way. Also, some people have trouble with tweezing because it requires steady hands and good eyesight, both of which can be lacking as people age.

Some people like to use depilatories such as Nair to "melt" the hair away. This method, like all the others, may also present some hazards if you're using the chemical near a delicate part of your body. Depilatories should never be used inside the ear canal; they should only be used near the ear lobe. Some people even have allergies to hair removal products that can cause severe reactions.

Waxing is another method of temporarily removing unwanted hair. A person can spread warm wax on the hairy area, place a paper or cloth over the waxed area, let it cool, and then rip off the wax in the opposite direction of the hair growth, thus removing the entire hair shaft. Waxing is often effective, but it can be painful and may lead to folliculitis or ingrown hairs.

For those who want a permanent solution to unwanted hair growth, there's always electrolysis or thermolysis. Electrolysis and themolysis are permanent methods of removing hair by using electricity or heat to destroy the hair shaft. But these two methods also have drawbacks. Electrolysis or themolysis must be done by someone who is trained in the procedure, which means they can end up being expensive. Anyone considering having electrolysis or thermolysis done must be very careful to choose an electrologist who is properly trained, licensed, and practices good personal hygiene. Likewise, the facility in which the procedure is done should also be scrupulously clean. Electrolysis and thermolysis can cause scarring or increased or decreased pigmentation in the skin. Remember that either of these two methods can put a person at risk of contracting secondary infections like impetigo or herpes simplex, both of which are very contagious.

So, even after reading about all the hazards, you still want to get rid of your unwanted hair?

I don't blame you. It can be tough on the ego to watch as hair starts to sprout up in places it never was before as it thins out on the scalp. Getting older really is a bitch, particularly when the process includes growing ear or nose hair... or hair on the chin! There's nothing wrong with trying to get rid of the pesky little hairs; just choose your methods wisely. And if you're suddenly growing a lot of hair all at once, you should make an appointment with your doctor, just to make sure you're not dealing with an underlying medical issue or some kind of drug or chemical reaction.

For most of us hairy folks, though, growing a few unwanted and embarrassing new hairs is just part of getting old(er).

Sources: http://dermnetnz.org/

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/835/why-do-older-men-have-hair-growing-in-their-noses-and-ears

http://www.professorshouse.com/family/health/ear-hair.aspx