Is Nipple Hair on Women Normal?
Is Nipple Hair on Women Normal?
Several years ago, I asked my doctor, is nipple hair on women normal? I’d had a few random hairs sprout up on my breasts and was worried that I was a freak or that something was wrong. Turns out, nipple hair is a thing and it’s normal. Yet no one talks about it! I was so embarrassed that it took me probably 6 months to work up the courage to ask my doctor about nipple hair on women.
It took even longer for me to ask my best friend about nipple hair and if she’d ever experienced it. She told me it was completely normal and that even Stephen King had written about it. When I asked my doctor, she said 1 in 3 women have it. Sometimes it’s caused by medication, but mostly it’s because of hormones.
I did a little research and found that nipple hair can be a sign that a woman has polycystic ovary syndrome. This is referred to as PCOS and it’s probably the most common hormonal disorder a woman can have. PCOS can cause problems with your periods, making them too heavy or infrequent. It can make it difficult to get pregnant. It can cause acne or weight gain too. Just what we all want. Not. A lot of women with PCOS have cysts on their ovaries.
I’ve actually had a cyst on my ovary in the past. However, I was not diagnosed with PCOS. It was extremely painful and I was scheduled to have surgery to remove it when it finally ruptured on its own. After it ruptured, I was fine.
What do I do about nipple hair?
I shave or pluck my random stray nipple hair. My husband has never complained about them. I don’t even think he would have noticed them except I pointed them out to him. The nipple hair bothers me, so I eliminate it whenever I notice it. You can also use a laser hair removal device to remove them. I really need to try using my Silk’n Flash & Go Express on my nipple hair.
Have you ever experienced this? Or have you experienced something else that made you feel alone?
Thank you for bringing this up, love. I get them too! Mine are located on the end outer nipple region or on the breast itself right outside..I really didn’t have it happen until 2010-2011, but because that was the period when I was having surgeries and dealing with pain I didn’t notice-but I remember feeling embarrassed, I don’t know, feeling “this is weird” ..But then I asked my mom she said “oh yeah don’t worry I get those too” Because I’ve been through a lot with my doctors I feel comfortable bringing up most things, but I guess I was worried about other stuff and didn’t until recently(by the way I’m so sorry you had to go through that with having an ovarian cyst, I’m glad that it was ok after it ruptured and that you’ve been okay since-I’ve never had one but I know they are very painful. Thank you for mentioning hormones!!! ..so before/after I had my surgeries(2010, 2011,2012 they were pretty much consecutive with some months in between) I stopped getting my period-and they explained to me that when you have major surgery like that the body “shuts itself down” basically..and it takes a lot of time. I was also taking a lot of medication-the doctor took did blood work for my hormones and they were way too low, so even giving me a medication to start it wouldn’t make it start. He said, it will come back after you’ll get off all this medicine later(I told you that story before) which it did…and actually now that I think about it I have less now that my period is coming back. And a year ago when I had that nerve flare(I had to have an infusion of a medication that they use now to basically reboot your system ie-it tells pain receptors that send signals, “stop, get out of this cycle”) And during that time I had more than the past months when my body has come back. A lot of things can affect hormone levels. Thank you so so much for opening up about things that a lot of women go through. I really appreciate it. Because certain things can make you feel uncomfortable, and then you feel alone. My guy wouldn’t notice either I don’t think-but I don’t feel comfortable having it, so do the same I just pluck it. I’ll have to check out the silkn flash n go for myself/my mom-she gets random facial hair around the chin-she is starting menopause, so that’s also something that can happen and she gets it waxed.
Omigawsh…I’ve had it all my life and just ignored it! I haven’t had a period in 2 years (I’m 50) but when I did, they were pretty awful.
Thank you for posting about this. I get nipple hair too but have been too embarrassed to ask anyone about it. I’ve had a cyst on my ovary before as well but wasn’t diagnosed with PCOD. Makes a lot of sense that nipple hair is hormone related.
PCOS* rather. Opps!
You’re welcome! I know I was extremely uncomfortable and embarrassed about it for a long time. It was such a relief to find out that it happens to other people too!