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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.

Why women grow beards | Insight

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