Why women grow beards | Insight
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00:00 Facial hair growth has long been associated with masculinity,
00:03 making it surprising for many people when they see a woman with a beard.
00:07 Nigerian women with beards or coarse chest hair are often stereotyped
00:11 and usually associated with being wicked or worse, accused of witchcraft.
00:16 Many times Nigerians also conclude that a woman who has a mustache,
00:20 a beard or excessive body hair will definitely be from the eastern part of the country.
00:25 In this video, we will be discussing why women grow beards and excessive body hair.
00:31 Women naturally do not grow body hair the way men do.
00:34 One of the most common reasons behind beard growth in women is hormonal imbalance,
00:39 specifically an increase in androgen levels.
00:42 Androgens such as testosterone are typically present in both men and women, but in varying
00:47 quantities. When a woman experiences higher levels of androgens than usual,
00:51 it can lead to the growth of coarse facial hair, similar to male beard growth.
00:55 Testosterone is a predominant male sex hormone. It is produced mainly in a man's testes,
01:01 while a lower amount of about 10% is produced in a woman's ovaries and adrenal glands.
01:06 The higher levels of testosterone produced in men during puberty is responsible for
01:11 developing abundant body hair, especially in areas such as the chest,
01:15 back and face, which is quite natural for a man.
01:19 On the other hand, body hair growth in women is influenced by lower testosterone levels,
01:24 which primarily affects hair growth in places like the underarms, pubic region and legs,
01:29 while female hormones like estrogen produces only fine and soft body hair in females.
01:34 When a woman starts growing excessive coarse and dark body hairs in places peculiar to only men,
01:40 such as her chest, back, stomach, inner thighs and even facial hair such as a moustache
01:46 and beard, she is likely experiencing a condition called hesitism.
01:50 Hesitism is defined as a growth of excessive coarse hairs in females,
01:56 likened to a male pattern of hair growth, in androgen-dependent areas of the body,
02:00 like the chin, upper lip, chest, breast, abdomen, back, as mentioned earlier.
02:06 It affects between 5-10% of women and is usually more of a symptom of an underlying problem,
02:12 rather than a medical condition on its own. In most cases, the underlying problem is
02:17 polycystic ovarian syndrome, which results in excess testosterone and oversensitivity to
02:22 testosterone. Other common causes of hesitism include family history, age and menopause,
02:28 medications and certain medical conditions.
02:31 A typical example of a renowned woman with this medical condition is Hanam Kaur.
02:37 She won the Guinness World Record at 24 for the world's youngest woman to have a full beard,
02:43 due to polycystic ovarian syndrome. This leads us to the question,
02:47 can hesitism be treated? Yes, hesitism can be treated.
02:51 The treatment however focuses on managing the underlying hormonal imbalances responsible for it.
02:57 Treatments include hormonal therapy like using oral contraceptives,
03:01 anti-androgen medications and weight management.
03:04 It is essential for women experiencing unusual coarse and thick hair growth in places common
03:10 to men to consult their healthcare providers in order to determine the underlying cause
03:15 and explore suitable treatment options. It is also pivotal to help promote body
03:19 positivity and self-acceptance for women globally, especially women experiencing hesitism,
03:25 by recognising and removing the stigma surrounding this inherent aspect of human diversity.
03:30 So next time you see that woman with excessive hair growth, you know better than to view it as
03:36 an oddity. If you found this video insightful, then click on the like button and subscribe
03:40 to this YouTube channel. I am Ife Nnai Awachuku for Guardian TV. Thanks for watching.