Susan Boyle And A Female Hairiness Health Warning
MEDIA SCARE story of the day comes via the BBC, where hairy women lean of the “ Female hairiness health warning”. Can Susan Boyle, aka ‘The Hairy Angel‘, be worked into the story? Read on…
No only are hairy women hairy but they are about to die horribly, choking on their hair ball or being prodded with sharp sticks by angry villagers.
Excessive hairiness in women is not just a cosmetic problem but is likely to be a sign of an underlying medical condition, say UK doctors in a report. Five to 15% of women have excess hair, and a hormone disorder is the most likely cause in many cases, they said.
Women with the problem should not be afraid to seek medical advice, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists report urged.
No they should not. But how to go out in public when hairy? Sure, Hairy Angel Susan Boyle can come to their aid and be a spokesperson, nay, role model, for hairy women. But until then, what to do?
Report author, Dr Rebecca Swingler, a specialist registrar in obstetrics and gynaecology at St Michael’s Hospital in Bristol, said the condition, known as hirsutism, is distressing and can be particularly upsetting for young women.
Well, if the science says being a hairy woman is upsetting, then who are we to argue? Who has not seen a hairy woman and become upset?
Estimates of how many women are affected are likely to be underestimated because women can be reluctant to seek help, she added.
In addition to PCOS [Polycystic ovary syndrome], rarer causes of excessive hairiness include certain tumours and thyroid dysfunction, as well as the use of certain drugs.
That’s right, you are hairy and you are ill. Maybe.
And then the pay off. Note how the Government is seeking to purge the land of fat people:
Weight loss, especially in obese women, may also help reduce high levels of the male hormone testosterone which can be an underlying factor in cases of excess hair.
Bingo!
“Often women have spent many years trying to cope with their hirsutism before they seek professional help,” said Dr Swingler.
And sometimes not.
“Women need to look at themselves in the context of their family and ethnicity and what is ‘normal’ for them.”
Is mum hairy? Dad? The dog?
Professor Stephen Franks, an expert in reproductive endocrinology at Imperial College London, said the condition could be very embarrassing and women might be reluctant to seek medical advice.
Professor Franks said how much hair growth was considered excessive was subjective, but that women should not be afraid to seek help.
Can’t argue with science…
Image: Grow A Brain
Posted: 17th, April 2009 | In: Reviews Comments (34) | TrackBack | Permalink
