Removal of Unwanted Facial Hair -- American Family Physician

www.aafp.org/afp AMERICAN FAMILY PHYSICIAN 1907 follicular canal, dehydrate, and form the growing shaft. The visible hair shaft is composed of an outer cuticle, the cortex and, sometimes, a core of compact, keratinized cells, all of which are made of protein. Hairs that are in the anagen phase during removal are more sensitive to the various treatment modalities than hairs in the telogen phase. Alteration of matrix cell activity during anagen, by whatever method chosen, increases the amount of time from removal to regrowth. As a result, one of three alterations can occur: early cessation of anagen causing telogen to occur, transition into a dystrophic stage of anagen, or degeneration of the matrix. Depending on the site of the hair, the time spent in each phase differs considerably, from an anagen phase of two to six years for scalp hair to one to two months for thigh hair. The telogen phase also varies, ranging from one and one half months for mustache hairs to three to six months for leg hairs. During telogen, growth stops, and the entire structure rests for a variable period of time, depending on the site. Once anagen begins, the remaining club hair is ejected, and the growth cycle continues. U nwanted facial hair is a common condition that often goes untreated. Women most often seek treatment, but men may also have concerns about this problem. In most cases, a severe underlying medical condition is not the cause of unwanted facial hair. Its presence, however, causes significant psychologic stress and may lead patients to resort to uncomfortable and often expensive means of removal.