Doctors have described a rare case of hair growing inside the human mouth
According to statistics, more than 75% of the Russian population suffers from hair problems. For most of us, they begin to turn gray and fall out over time, but there are people in the world who suffer from an overabundance of them. A large amount of hair on the head and face causes women especially a lot of inconvenience. In science, an excess amount of hair on the body is called hirsutism, and the cause of this phenomenon is considered to be an excess of male hormones in the body. As a rule, excess hair appears only on the skin covering our body, but in very rare cases, hair can even grow on the gums. One such case was recently reported by Italian researchers from the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”.
In some cases, hair may grow in the mouth as well.
The unusual medical case was reported in the scientific publication Science Alert. It happened in 2009, when a 19-year-old Italian woman approached the doctors at the above-mentioned university with a very unusual complaint. According to her, hair began to grow between her teeth, which interfered with her eating and generally caused discomfort. When examining the patient, doctors actually found eyelash-like hairs in her mouth and ultimately decided that they were dealing with so-called gum hirsutism.
Reasons for the development of the problem
After the popularity of hair removal and depilation procedures on the body, a number of different problems immediately emerged. One of the important problems is ingrown body hair in the bikini area. After all, the inflammatory process in this sensitive area can lead to irreparable consequences, so the development of such a process should be avoided.
If only a few hairs grow in, the woman practically does not notice the problem. But when this situation becomes global, the search begins for various effective ways to solve the current problem.
The consequences of ingrown hairs are the most unpleasant:
- the appearance of pustules on the body;
- development of inflammatory processes;
- the appearance of redness and itching in the intimate area;
- irritation and scar formation.
The area where ingrown hairs form becomes unattractive, rough and hard. Many people try to remove ingrown hairs on their own, resorting to various methods that are categorically unacceptable. Such self-medication only leads to a worsening of the situation.
The underlying cause of this problem is nothing other than a change in the direction of their growth. Changing direction is quite easy. To do this, you need to shave your hair once in the direction against its growth. As a result, new hair will not grow vertically, but horizontally in the opposite direction. This process is not only dangerous from a medical point of view, but it also causes unpleasant symptoms in the form of itching, discomfort, burning and redness of the intimate areas.
Not every skin type is affected by the phenomenon of ingrown hairs in the intimate area. This process is typical for women who have thick skin, and after shaving their hair grows back rapidly. It is not difficult to find out that ingrown hairs have formed in the intimate area. After all, the primary source of the negative phenomenon is the formation of acne, which increases in size over time. Such a pimple fills with pus and becomes white in color, and over time causes discomfort.
If dirt gets into the area where ingrown hairs form, this will lead to serious consequences due to inflammatory processes. Therefore, it is important not only to promptly get rid of hair in intimate areas, but also to ensure that there are no unpleasant consequences. The main causes of ingrown hair in the bikini area are the following factors:
- Depilation, after which the hair changes its direction of growth, bending down and breaking through the skin in the opposite direction.
- If injuries occur on the hair follicles. In this case, the hair begins to grow not upward, but to the side, without reaching the surface of the skin.
- During the hair removal procedure. Hair after epilation is very weak, so when it begins to grow, it cannot independently break through the barrier in the form of a thick layer of skin. As a result, it grows into the skin, provoking the development of an inflammatory process.
Often, ingrown hairs are observed on the legs, arms, intimate areas and under the arms. These areas are susceptible to the negative effects of ingrown hair after any hair removal method. It is not possible to avoid the development of ingrown hairs, so you should familiarize yourself with the products that are intended to remove ingrown hairs.
Can hair grow on the gums?
After studying the medical literature, doctors found that since the 1960s, hair growth on the gums was detected in only five people. It is noteworthy that all of them were men. Since researchers do not know how many people in history have suffered from gum hirsutism, the Italian woman who came to them can be considered the first girl with such an anomaly. Doctors considered the cause of hair growth on the oral mucosa to be a hormonal imbalance, so they removed the hair surgically and prescribed hormonal medications to the patient.
Most likely, the prescribed treatment method really helped the girl, because she did not contact the institute staff for six whole years. However, when she stopped taking the prescribed pills, hair growth on her gums resumed and she ended up back in the hospital. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the doctors decided to examine her gums under a microscope and saw that the tissues of the girl’s oral mucosa were denser than usual and real hair shafts were actually breaking through them.
Growing hair found in patient's mouth
The researchers suggested that since the tissues of the oral mucosa are closely related to the tissues that form our skin during the embryonic period of development, the ability to grow hair in the oral cavity could be activated in a girl in the womb. However, scientists have not yet been able to test this theory, so they are unable to answer the question of which people are susceptible to hair growth on their gums.
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As for the Italian woman, whose identity is being kept secret, she was prescribed another course of medication. It is known that two years after admission, she returned to the hospital with complications. The further fate of the unusual patient is unknown, but I would like to know whether she managed to recover and whether the hair in her mouth affected the health of other organs.
Source: hi-news.ru
Hair grows on the mucous membrane
The body of a person of any gender is more than 95% covered with hair. They grow everywhere: on the legs, arms, back, chest and face, and in women too. It’s just that men have coarser and thicker hair on their cheekbones, chin, chest and back. In representatives of the fairer sex, these zones are covered with vellus hairs, very thin, light and short. Only because of these qualities, facial hair on women is not as noticeable as on men. The only places where hair does not grow are the mucous membranes, palms, feet and eyeballs.
How our ancestors did
In the past, people had different attitudes towards body hair. In Ancient Egypt, all areas with dark long hair (including the head) were necessarily subjected to regular shaving. This was a definite cultural necessity in a very hot climate. Even noble aristocrats shaved their heads, after which their absolutely smooth skulls were covered with wigs. Women of the lower classes did not have access to such luxury, so they were content with their natural hair.
During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, people of all classes did not touch the hair on their heads or bodies. Modern fashion dictates its own rules: a well-groomed woman’s body must be devoid of hair. In relation to men, this depends on the level of intelligence and “culture” of the gentleman.
Traditional methods of dealing with ingrown hairs in intimate areas
The bikini area, like the armpits, is a sensitive area, so the mechanical method of solving the problem is not suitable for all women. Let's consider the main methods to alleviate the problem of ingrown hairs using traditional medicine. To do this, the following options for preparing effective recipes for combating ingrown hair in the bikini area are known.
- Using aspirin and glycerin. To prepare the mixture, you need to fill a glass with water, then place 2 tablets of aspirin and glycerin in it. After dissolving the tablets, the resulting mixture is rubbed on the problem areas.
- The use of hydrogen peroxide and bodyaga powder. It is necessary to combine these two compositions, and then treat problem areas of the skin. This mixture allows you not only to eliminate the problem of ingrown hair in the intimate area, but also to avoid the development of inflammation.
- Compress using table salt. To do this, apply a compress of table salt to the problem area of the skin for 10 minutes. This method allows you to open the pores, remove inflammation and solve the problem painlessly.
Today, a huge number of different cosmetics are known that can solve such a delicate problem not only quickly, but also effectively. For example, Bepanten cream is widely popular in the fight against the problem in question.
It is important to know! To solve the problem of ingrown body hair in the intimate area, it is recommended to first visit a dermatologist, who will determine the main cause of this phenomenon.
Why is there body hair?
All these norms regarding the destruction of body hair are nothing more than a tribute to fashion. In fact, everything given to the human body by nature is in its place and performs a specific function. Hair in places such as the face and groin played the role of a gender identifier many centuries ago. A face with a beard indicated not only that it was male, but also that the male was sexually mature. The mane of lions has a similar meaning.
Hair in the groin and under the arms not only identify the adult, but also contribute to thermoregulation. Also, the vegetation in these areas accumulates the natural smell of sweat and pheromones, by which our distant ancestors sensitively detected a healthy, sexually active and genetically suitable individual.
Harm from destroying body hair
A group of scientists from the University of Stirling in Scotland conducted an interesting study. They asked 63 women (age 18-32) to identify the most attractive sexual partner by the smell of men's sweat on their T-shirts. After analyzing the results of preferences, scientists found that all the ladies instinctively chose the men most suitable for their set of genes based on the smell of sweat.
Psychologist Craig Roberts concluded that the smell of sweat is a definite indicator of the health and genetic compatibility of partners. Interestingly, repeating the result after 3 months gave the same results. The ladies chose the same gentlemen. This mechanism has been honed by evolution for thousands of years so that people have the opportunity to select the ideal partner for the birth of healthy offspring. But it is on the hair that the smell of sweat is best preserved.
By shaving their body hair and covering up the smell of sweat with antiperspirants and perfumes, people deprive themselves of the opportunity to select good genetic material. In addition, constant shaving leads to microtraumas of the skin. This regularly activates and disorients the immune system, which is constantly forced to fight any external aggressor.
Do not forget that shaving occurs not only with the help of blades, but also with all kinds of foams, soaps and other chemicals. When cuts occur, all this enters the bloodstream, irritates the deeper layers of the dermis, and can cause suppuration and ingrown hair. Other methods of hair removal do not have the best effect on the skin. Particularly dangerous is the now fashionable laser hair removal, which provokes not only microtraumas, but also skin cancer.
Source: russian7.ru
After sugaring
Getting rid of unwanted hair using sugar paste is called sugaring. Its peculiarity is that it is removed not against hair growth, but in its direction. Also, an experienced master should remove hair in small areas. In addition, you should carefully prepare for the procedure - deep cleanse the skin with a cosmetic or home scrub a couple of days in advance, and on the eve of sugaring, treat the bikini area with peeling. All this will help avoid or reduce the number of ingrown hairs.
Ingrown hairs after sugaring are removed using the same methods - complex (which includes ointments, creams, scrubs, pharmacy and home remedies) if there are a significant amount of them, and if there is a small amount, it is enough to limit yourself to one of the above.
Body hair: a matter of hygiene or aesthetics
Let's figure out whether we need hair under the arms and on the pubic area and whether it is worth removing it.
Advertising for razors and epilators strongly suggests that body hair is unhygienic and unsightly. Society supports this belief, but does not insist. Shaving certain places, everything in a row or nothing at all is everyone’s choice.
In the case of hair on open areas of the body - legs, arms, chest - hygiene is not taken into account, and only aesthetic views can be the reason. But armpit and pubic hair is another matter; here, the first thing that comes to mind is cleanliness and lack of odor.
Before we look at the real reasons that make people shave, it would be nice to understand why we have armpit and pubic hair in the first place, and whether we are losing something important by shaving it.
Why do we need pubic and armpit hair?
There are two theories to explain why we have fairly dense vegetation in these areas.
- To reduce friction. In the case of the armpits - when walking, running, working with your hands, and on the pubic area - during sex. However, the absence of hair does not seem to affect the occurrence of abrasions in these areas.
- To attract the opposite sex. Apocrine glands are located in the armpits and pubic area, the task of which is to secrete secretions from proteins, fats and fatty acids. Bacteria feed on this wealth, which provides the specific aroma On the nose: genetic and evolutionary aspects of smell. Scientists theorize that the secretion permeates the hair, which enhances the smell and, in theory, attracts mates. However, the rudimentary vomeronasal organ Chapter 19Human Pheromones (how animals detect pheromones) and dysfunction of the apocrine glands in the pubis suggest that this feature is a relic and is not so necessary for finding a sexual partner.
Why did people start shaving their body hair?
Shaving your legs, armpits and pubic area is not such a modern invention Female Pubic Hair Removal. Shaving was practiced in the ancient cultures of Egypt and Greece, in ancient Rome and even during the Middle Ages - to get rid of pubic lice.
In the 20th century, marketing is blamed for the spread of fashion for a smooth body. In 1915, the first Gillette advertisement was released with the message that it was feminine and hygienic. And in 1924, the first bikini swimsuits appeared, and women began to shave their hair below their stomachs.
The fashion for shaved skin not only on the face reached men a little later. Male Body Depilation: Prevalence and Associated Features of Body Hair Removal. However, today many Western men prefer to get rid of pubic and armpit hair.
The production of shaving and hair removal products, as well as the development of various hair removal methods, is a huge industry in which a lot of money is circulating.
A hairless body is promoted not only in advertising, but also in fashion magazines, films and TV series. They also talk about the spread of pornography, in which pubic hair is very rarely present. Young people absorb this experience and begin to perceive the absence of hair as one of the criteria of sexuality.
But despite the image of the ideal body perpetuated in popular culture as having no hair, only a small percentage of people believe they shave because of social expectations.
Features of hair removal in men
Many beauty salons not only allow you to properly remove hair from men, but also advise you on how to do it correctly at home.
In men, hair removal occurs in the pubic area; the scrotum is often not affected in order to avoid severe pain or possible injury.
When asked by men what is the best way to remove hair in the bikini area, experts clearly recommend laser or photoepilation, which allows you to permanently get rid of unwanted hair; the only drawback is the high price.
Among the advantages is that after a course of procedures a person will forget about this problem for the rest of his life.
What other reasons are there?
Research in the UK, New Zealand, Australia and the USA shows that 65–89% of women and 65–82% of men shave their pubic hair. A survey of more than 4,000 men Prevalence and Motivation: Pubic Hair Grooming Among Men in the United States and 3,000 women Pubic Hair Grooming Prevalence and Motivation Among Women in the United States in the United States found that the main reasons for shaving are sex and hygiene.
Most often, people of both sexes shave before sex, especially before oral.
In addition, 61% of men and 59% of women do it for hygiene, and 44 and 46% perceive it as part of their routine personal care. Interestingly, some primitive communities that have no access to either fashion magazines or porn get rid of groin hair for the same reasons.
Pubic's study Hair Removal Practices in Cross-Cultural Perspective found 26 such pre-industrial societies. In 22 of them, only women shave their pubic area; in 11, men do it too. Scientists have found information about the reasons for the tradition in some communities: in two of them it was done for attractiveness, in seven - for hygiene.
Laser hair removal
Many girls and women often have a question: how to get rid of hair in the bikini area forever? There is a special procedure for this – laser hair removal. After several sessions, the hair disappears forever, and the method is one of the most painless. Owners of blond or red hair are somewhat less fortunate than brunettes, since the laser is not able to affect their skin and hair follicles.
It is worth noting that of all the above methods, this method is the most expensive.
You can get rid of hair forever at home using a laser, but many experts do not recommend doing this. Today you can purchase such a device for independent use, but it is best to resort to professional services. This will be much faster and more effective, since the specialist will be able to properly remove hair in the bikini area without any consequences.
