Women’s Struggle with PCOS and PCOD
When I was around 13-14, I noticed that my body hair was darker and more persistent than my mother's. She used to wax pretty often at that time, so I thought I would get similar results to her. But once I started waxing, I noticed heavy bumps and blood seeping as soon as the waxing strip came off, and as a result, I was terrified to do it.
During my high school years, I learned about PCOS and PCOD. I realized that I had almost all the signs of the medical condition - substantial weight gain, extreme acne, irregular periods, and excess hair growth. I had excess hair everywhere on my body and face. It often made me self-conscious, especially my facial hair which I couldn’t even hide. In the end, I had to wax that off as well.
Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD), also called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), is a hormonal disorder that affects women in their reproductive age. It is ubiquitous, affecting 5% to 10% of women aged 12–45 years. In addition, Hirsutism is the abnormal growth of facial or body hair in women. Hirsutism can be viewed as dark, coarse hair that may appear on the face, stomach, chest, back, arms, and legs. It is a symptom of medical complications associated with hormones called androgens.
Lately, I’ve noticed how prevalent PCOS/PCOD has become in my community and among friends. Many women choose to have laser treatments or anti-androgen medications to hinder abnormal hair growth. Although PCOD/PCOS cannot be cured, a healthy lifestyle can help regulate and balance the hormones.
It honestly seemed nice knowing that I wasn't the only one going through this challenging situation. Although the condition is common, society continues to mandate women’s decisions over their appearances. Consequently, women have internalised this misogynistic notion that they must engage in painful or expensive means to become acceptable in society.
Further Views on Body Hair and its Removal
Although I’ve shared some of my experiences and outlook on body hair, I wanted to get differing views on this topic. For this, I interviewed some of my amazing friends, Yuki and Priyanka, from India and Zoya, from Pakistan (All interviewees used pseudonyms to ensure anonymity).
Q: Can you tell me about your experience with body hair removal?
Zoya, 20: Since adolescence, my hair growth has been that part of my life which has always put me down. However, when I did start removing my body hair, the idea of my skin without it seemed desirable and admirable not just to me, but to others as well, which led me to continue the process and discover the different methods to decide which was suitable for me.
Priyanka, 18: My body hair removal experience has been a nightmare. It's difficult to deal with body hair problems on a regular basis. People make snap judgments when they observe excessive facial/body hair. It's difficult to describe what we're going through because it's challenging to manage while facing a society that judges you based on your medical issues nowadays.
Yuki, 20: Growing up as a POC from the south Asian community. I would always see my peers getting shamed for their “masculine” features and visible body hair. It really bothered me how there was always this constant need to look pretty and feminine and how people who chose to not shave and not conform to these beauty standards set by society were seen as outcasts. However, for me personally, my mother was very protective of me and would not let me shave until I turned 16 as I had sensitive skin and minimal body hair. Due to this, I did not experience any hardships that most women have to generally go through.
Q: Have your surroundings affected your perception of visible body hair?
Zoya: Absolutely! From being surrounded by people with visibly reduced body hair to watching hair removal ads with models and celebrities attempting to use these products on hairless hands and legs, it always seemed like such industries somehow promoted the perception of body hair positivity as an inexistent and unacceptable, which influenced me to believe the same as well especially for myself.
Priyanka: Yes, my environment has influenced my impression of visible body hair, making me believe that having body hair is odd and that it is important to remove it on a regular basis.
What is your opinion on normalising body hair, and how can you contribute to it?
Zoya: I’ve noticed the normalization of body hair in recent years, especially by the western media, which has eventually led me to accept my body hair to an extent. However, I would love to collaborate with more South Asians as I know darker body hair and its acceptance is a greater problem in this part of the world. Discussing these issues on a social media platform, surveying and connecting with other people suffering from similar problems and finally promoting positivity through information and supportive posts could be the best way to go about it.
Priyanka: We should, in my opinion, avoid condemning people who have body hair and instead make them feel at ease. We should also refrain from asking them inquiries about their body hair until they are confident enough to share it with you.
Yuki: The policing and weaponizing of women’s body hair by patriarchal standards has led women to go through painful procedures from an early age in order to be seen as ‘attractive’. The notion that body hair is ‘unhygienic’ still persists to this day which is false. As both men and women have body hair, it is unfair how women choosing to not shave their visible body hair is seen as unhygienic while men on the other hand are praised for looking more manly with visible body hair. Additionally, advertisements for body hair often promise ‘smooth, white, velvety skin’ and by doing so, these commercials uphold racist, white-centric standards which can be harmful.
The Need for Normalization of Body Hair
For the longest time, patriarchy has oppressed women by asserting unrealistic beauty standards and dominance over their bodies and choices. Due to the rise of social media and its different platforms in the modern era, women worldwide have been voicing their opinions against patriarchal norms and protesting for their rights.
Currently, not removing one’s hair is considered a political statement or a ‘feminist-stunt’. Celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Madonna, and more have shared pictures on Instagram showing off their armpit hair and were celebrated for breaking barriers. In contrast, many others criticised the artists for ‘disgusting’ them.
All that said, there is an underrepresentation of women of colour in the ‘feminist body hair’ movement and in mainstream media. Regular discussions, posts, and pictures about normalising body hair are essential. Additionally, educating women (and men!) on body hair and its removal; explaining it as one’s choice instead of a necessity can significantly impact an individual’s self-confidence and value in society.
Furthermore, just normalise it! Try going a week without shaving in public. Many women choose to remove their body hair because it’s what they are comfortable with - that’s their personal choice. But, so many women feel that body hair removal is the only option to fit in socially and be desirable to people - that isn’t okay. Women shouldn’t be forced to view something so natural as something disgusting while men are told it’s acceptable for them.
Going a month or two without hair removal has been a convenient and insightful experience as I’m mostly staying at home these days. Although I sometimes feel the urge to pull my sleeves down when I’m out, I know that it’s alright, and more importantly, it’s my body.
Everyone, let’s take control of the body hair narrative and speak out. It’s your body and your choice. Body hair is entirely natural, and it’s not disgusting. Embrace it as a part of yourself.
Read part 1 of this article over here
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