Chin hairs are something that a lot of women get, but very few want to openly discuss. And to be honest, we totally get it. It can be embarrassing to talk about the thing that makes us feel like we’re being robbed of our femininity a little bit, every time we see one appear. 

Truth be told, we shouldn’t be ashamed to talk about it among each other. The more openly discuss the awkward things going on with our bodies, the more space we create to help other women (and ourselves!) find real solutions and even some community and comfort. 

If you’ve been struggling with random chin hair, this is for you! Here are 3 reasons why it happens and here’s what you can realistically do about it. 

You may have PCOS. 

Polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, is a hormonal and metabolic disorder that women can develop during their childbearing years. In fact, 1 in 10 women are diagnosed with PCOS across the world.

Symptoms associated with this very common disorder are: irregular or unpredictable periods, weight gain, difficulty getting pregnant, and—what we’re here to talk about—abnormal, unwanted body hair, which is called hirsutism.

Because it is difficult to pinpoint what the exact cause of PCOS is, it’s also difficult to pinpoint why women experience hirsutism as a symptom, other than it being associated with an overall hormonal imbalance. 

Of course, you cannot and should not self-diagnose. Please visit a healthcare professional to confirm a diagnosis before moving forward with any treatment plans. With that being said, there are a few ways that PCOS is treated:

• Healthy diet and regular exercise. 
• Ovulation medication. 
• Birth control to help with menstrual cycles.
• Diabetes medication to lower insulin resistance. 

Because unwanted hair growth, like chin hair, is associated with PCOS comes down to treating the PCOS itself, it’s important that—once professionally diagnosed—you take the right steps to get your overall health back on the right track first. 

Of course, you can always consider things like shaving, waxing, plucking, and even laser hair removal in the meantime, depending on your needs.

Your medication could be affecting you.

Did you know certain medications can cause unwanted chin hair? Yup! Medications used for high blood pressure, organ transplantation recovery, post-injury muscle building, and even seizures can cause you to grow hair on your face. 

Does this mean you should stop taking these medications simply because you have some random chin hair? Unless your doctor tells you to stop taking them, absolutely do not discontinue use for any reason.

Always be safe and consult a healthcare professional before taking any major steps with your medications. However, does this mean that you should take a closer look at how medicine interacts with your body? Yes.

One thing you should research and ask your doctor about is if there are any known links between your current medication and an increase of testerone levels in your body. 

Simply put, chin hair and other unwanted hair growth often arises from the existence of excess male hormones (primarily testosterone) in women. So, again, make sure to speak with your doctor about your current medication and its relationship to testosterone. 

Your body is going through major changes. 

I’m going to keep this short and sweet. Baby, you’re just going through changes. Getting older, gaining weight, changes in your diet and physical activity, menopause— all of these things will turn your body into a whole new world of differences, and chin hair just happens to be a part of that for some of us. 

Is that abnormal or even a bad thing? Absolutely not. Women like you, me, and thousands of others go through the same thing, so don’t feel badly or even embarrassed about it.

Simply accept the changes as they come and if you’re not feeling it? Chile, take control of it all by implementing some of your own healthy habits. Eat better, sleep better, move more, buy some new tweezers and get to plucking the chin hair if you have to!

Most importantly, cultivate a strong sense of self love because changes will always come. And no matter if they make you feel beautiful or not-so-hot, you must always be gentle, gracious, and respectful with yourself.