Dear Jos24,

During puberty, young women and men begin to experience new, usually coarse, hair growth — under the arms, around the genitals, and around the nipples. Finer hair begins to thicken on the legs and arms.

It's normal for women to have dark or thick hair on their bodies. But it can make many people feel embarrassed because it doesn't seem as though women are supposed to have much hair on their bodies. It doesn't need to be treated unless it really bothers you.

Many women remove excess hair by tweezing, shaving, waxing, or bleaching dark, unwanted hair. There are many low-cost products that can be purchased in drugstores for these methods.

Some women choose to remove hair by using depilatories, which dissolve hair right beneath the surface, or electrolysis. In electrolysis, a fine needle is inserted into the hair follicle one at a time. It sends out heat that burns the root — the place where the hair grows.

Although electrolysis is the only permanent way of removing hair, it's not cheap! A complete treatment can cost anywhere between $700-$1000 and it must be repeated several times.

If you are experiencing a sudden, significant increase in body hair, this could be a sign of a medical condition and should be examined by a physician.

Hope this information helps!

Take care,

teenwire.com^® Editors

This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a medical problem, please call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN for an appointment with the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.