Hairy daughters - sorry I posted this in the wrong area ....

[mummabear1]

Hi there, I have just spent a while reading through all the threads relating to this topic. Most of the threads seem to be able children born with excess hair. My two girls, 4 and nearly 7 have a lot of body hair Neither of them at body hair at birth. It has all grown in just after their 4th birthday. My 4yo is now starting to get dark hair growth down her neck, back and shoulders. Fluffy arms and legs too 6yo has the most amazing long blondish fluffy arms you have ever seen and dark hairy legs (thighs included). Her back has a touch of fluff top and bottom but nothing major and its light. A bit of hair thickening on the top lip and also would you believe a bit of longish hair growth on her nose tip of all places!!!! Blonde at this stage but the odd dark one sneaks in on occasion. Cripes, what to do!!! Has anyone else had a child who had hair grow in (as opposed to being born with it) that eventually diminished as they grew older or does it hang around for good? I cant help wondering what it will be like for them in a few years times - ie puberty if its growing thick and fast now? We have had masses of hormonal checks done on both girls and there is nothing medically wrong with them (thankfully). Hypertrichosis is the name for the condition. Nothing like this runs in our family on either side so I am a bit stumped as to why they are like this?!? I have slightly hairier arms then i would like but nothing to lose sleep over like theirs are. I already nair my 6yo's legs for her for swimming - I know some of you will be aghast by this but you really have to see them to believe it. Any one else with girls like this?? Many thanks for taking time to read through this speel ....

Anyone else have experience with this? Will it improve / worsen / stay the same??

I have a girlfriend who has the same problem with her daughter (she's seven) She didn't do anything about it because she just assumed being a little girl, it wasn't an issue yet. Poor kid came home in tears because the kids at school were calling her 'Mr. Mo' because she had a little moustache. Kids can be so cruel. :( She felt she was too young for waxing (which I agree with) so she used some sort of sensitive bleach on her upper lip and used hair removal cream on her legs and arms, and when she's about twelve she wants to introduce her to waxing so the hair grows in finer. Her DD now is really excited because she gets to be 'grown up' like her mummy. :) No more bullying either!!

Sorry, not sure if this is much help just wanted to share the experience I've had.

Thanks for that. Its just nice to know there are other similar kids out there somewhere fighting this battle. This is what I am afraid of tho. Thats why I just did the removal cream on the legs when she asked as you are so exposed in a pair of togs and I didnt want her to stop swimming because of it. Some adults need a kick in the pants too - you would think as a "grown up" they may have learnt its not nice to stare at a bit of hair! The lip hair is blonde at the moment but I do worry it will darken up and become a problem at some stage. The arms are darkening up but shes not so worried about them as they are like a persian cats fur and she quite likes them! - until some little shite tells her otherwise. I only shave legs, underarms and bikini line so when I think of all the additional extras these poor little poppets will be doing I really feel for them. Thanks for your input :)

My dd had the same problem. I expected it because I am super hairy, and although dh isn't (I have more hair on my chest than he does), his first two dd's (not mine) were too at a very young age. So I prepared my dd when she was really young with a lot of talk about how only the very prettiest girls were hairy and that the other girls might be jealous and tease her, but only because she (and mummy and nonna and her sisters) were the prettiest. It worked up until just recently, when at age 9 she finally said she was getting teased by the boys and wanted to do something about the hair. I said I would show her how to shave it....I think waxing is too painful for a 9 year old (wouldn't even do it myself) and when she is a little older she can have it lasered (I did it some years ago and it was the best solution of all). However, her hairiness has diminished quite a bit as she has gotten older, and dh's other daughters really were pretty non-hairy by the time they got to puberty.

SofiaAmes, thank you - you have given me a smidge of hope that it just may disappear a little :) Did your girls (or hubbys girls) have any body hair at birth or did it all creep in a bit later on? I love your theory :) I tell my eldest girl that no one will notice the extra hair as she has the most fabulous eyelashes in the world and they will be too busy admiring them to look anywhere else. Hopefully it will work for a bit longer :)

Dd is mostly leg and arm hairy, but dh's middle dd (not mine) had all over body hair (back and everything). Neither were born hairy....it just started appearing when they were around 4. I think it's just different parts of the body growing at different speeds. It seemed so prominent at 4 and now that dd is almost 10 her body has almost caught up with her hair. I will still let her shave her legs because we are in Los Angeles and her legs are on display most of the year, but it's really much less noticeable than even 6 months ago.

Thanks for that. Sounds very similar to my DDs. Hopefully they "grow" into theirs too :)

Anyone else have experience with this? Maybe parents with older children that had this when they were smaller?

SofiaAmes, did any of your girls have facial hair as well that improved or just body hair? Thanks :)

sorry, got your email, but we've all been a bit ill....One of the sdd's did have a noticeable amount of facial hair that definitely got better.

Thanks for your msg. Hope you are all feeling better :) I have a couple of sickies here at the moment too and its school holidays, grrr. The bugs always chose the worst time to hit :)