Anyway, my parents took me to a specialist at one of the major university hospitals to find out what was going on with me, my periods and this hairy situation. The doctors told me that I had a cyst on my ovaries, which was causing or was caused by hormonal fluctuations which was causing my erratic periods and acute hirsutism (my hairy face). Although I don’t specifically recall all of what the specialist said to do about it, he did suggest birth control pills as a remedy. Ah yes, birth control pills – treat the symptoms, not the cause. What was causing my hormones to be out of balance? I didn't even think about that question at the time.
The birth control pills helped to regulate my irregular periods and decreased my pain, but what about all of this hair. For this, I used depilatories and hot wax. I would go to the drugstore and purchase a bar of wax. When I got home, I put the cold wax bar in a metal dish, placed the dish in a pan of water and put the pan on the stove or a hot plate to heat up the water and melt the wax. Once the wax was melted, I then took the wooden spatula that came with the wax, scooped out some melted wax and spread it over the hairs on my face, chin and neck. Once it set, I then ripped the wax off along with those ugly, dark and course hairs. Oh, joy! I had to really watch using depilatories because the chemicals in the cream would leave my face red and irritated.
I am truly thankful that I came up in school when I did because no one ever really said anything hateful to me. The worst I can remember a guy saying to me was when I was in high school he pulled me to the side and said, “B, I think it’s time.” (as in time to get that hair off your face) Whew! I think that statement was pretty mild and I got off pretty easy.
Finally, I think it was my senior year in high school that I or my Mother found this lady in our small town that performed electrolysis (the permanent removal of hair by using a needle and electric current). A small, petite, middle-age white lady who lived in the center of the city and worked out of here home. What a blessing. I was so thankful for her and the work she was doing. Throughout college I think I was still doing the waxing and using the hotplate from time to time and in between visits home to see “Ms. Petite.”
Once I graduated and moved to the “big city” I was able to find another electrolysis practitioner, who over the years and with the help of birth control pills to manage my hormones, was able to skillfully and wonderfully get rid of all of those hairs and get my problem under control. She and Ms. Petite will always hold a special place in my heart.
Since that time I have seen a number of women with large amounts of course facial hairs. Some more pronounced than others – some looking like a five o’clock shadow because they shaved. Shaving, though, is supposedly better than plucking them out (I've been told) only because I learned that when you pluck hairs, they just come back stronger, darker and harder to get out.
As you can imagine, having an electric current zap each and every individual hair was painful, but it was bearable and worth it to me. (of course, there laser hair removal now)
When I would see women with extreme facial hair, I lovingly wanted to tell them that there was hope – there was a solution. I knew exactly what they were going through and my heart went out to them. They were me and I was them.
Anyone had to deal with facial hair issues or know someone who did? Were you prescribed birth control pills to control the hair or control your painful periods?
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