Is hair around a woman's nipples normal?

Being a woman, having hair around your nipples can be embarrassing. Here is expert advice on how you can get rid of the hair and when you need to visit a doctor.

By: Dr Sachin Nichite | | Updated: September 25, 2014 5:26 pm

I am a 26-year-old female and have recently noticed that I have hair around my nipples. I am very worried about it. Is this normal? Does this mean I have some sort of disease or disorder? Also Read - Women have unique health problems: Ayurveda for PCOD, leucorrhoea and more

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I encounter this question very often in my gynaecological practice. And I will tell you what I tell all my patients, ‘Yes, this is a quiet strange happening, but in most cases it is a normal occurrence.’ While this can lead to a lot of embarrassment for some in their sexual life, it might also be an indicator of an underlying medical condition.

Here are the basics:

Similar to underarm hair and hair on one’s hands, legs and genitalia, the nipples (or areolar) also have hair follicles, both in males and female. Normally in females, the hair is usually fine and hardly visible, but some may have hair that is longer and thicker.

Know the causes:

The good news is that usually it is a normal condition and does not require any treatment. That being said, there some other conditions that could precipitate this unusual growth of hair

Hormonal fluctuations: This usually happens around puberty, menopause and pregnancy.
Patients have recently started taking oral contraceptive pills or any other kind of hormonal medication or hormone replacement therapy.
Women with a darker complexion also tend to have this problem.
There are some medical conditions that can lead to this condition as well. Conditions like PCOD (learn more about the condition) and complex ovarian cysts.
In some cases a person (man or woman) might have excessive hair all over their body (on their chest, hands and face). This condition is called Hirsuitism.

There is a treatment:

In cases where the condition is inane and does not have any underlying medical conditions you can opt to trim or pluck the hair. As permanent remedies for the problem, you can try getting the hair removed through electrolysis or laser therapy.

It is best you avoid shaving, waxing or bleaching the hair around your breasts as this is a very sensitive area and prone to damage. Read more about hair removal techniques for women.

If an underlying medical condition is the reason for the hair around your nipples, you should immediately get it investigated and get vigorous treatment to treat the root of the problem as a result the excessive hair will disappear.

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Published : February 28, 2014 11:34 am | Updated:September 25, 2014 5:26 pm

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