Body hair starts to appear in private parts during puberty. This puberty hair growth is a result of changing hormones.

In the past decade, there has been an increasing movement against the norm that pushes girls and women to remove their body hair. Our culture and attitudes have begun to shift, with people encouraging positive conversation around female body hair. We see more advertisements or movies that feature women with natural body hair on their armpits, legs, face, and other areas.

Some males who grow facial hair may like to let it develop into a moustache and beard. In men, the term “clean-shaven” was earlier synonymous with “hygienic” and years ago there were more men clean-shaven than seen sporting a beard, although today this attitude and belief has also changed.

Some girls may not shave or thread their upper lips and also leave the hair on their legs and arms as is. It is up to you and what you are comfortable with. Although hair on arms, legs, face and pubic region is completely normal, sometimes obvious hair growth can cause a person to get anxious or develop body image disorder. Shaving, waxing, creams, skin laser treatments etc. are many different ways to remove hair permanently or temporarily, and all of them have their pros and cons. 

Hair Growth During Puberty on Face

In some rare cases, a girl's facial hair growth can cause her to get worried. Don’t get us wrong. It is common for females to have facial hair, be it along the jaw, above the lip or chin.

What can be a sign of something of concern is thick and rapid hair growth across your face and body. Sudden and new changes like these can signify a hormonal imbalance in the female reproductive system. So, while some facial hair is normal, growing thick and coarse hair can indicate hirsutism. This can be due to an increase in androgen hormones.

If you are experiencing thick hair growth that causes you to worry, visit a general physician or a gynaecologist who can help you figure out why.

Puberty Hair Growth on Nipples 

Sometimes females may notice hair growth on the breasts or on the nipples. There is no reason to be alarmed about breast hair because around 30% of women have hairy nipples. They are just not talked about openly as talking about it is taboo or seen as a cause of embarrassment.

Nipples are one of the many places where hair follicles are found on your body. Thus, it is normal to have nipple hair. It is completely normal to have them, but if it makes you uncomfortable, you can choose from several hair removal options that are both safe and effective.

However, at times having excessive hair on your breasts may be a sign of an underlying medical problem like a hormonal imbalance, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), or Cushing’s syndrome.

If you experience hair growth on your breasts, along with other symptoms like hair loss, mood disorders, infertility or irregular periods, you should discuss these concerns with your doctor.