HAIRY GIRL

Dear Jellybean,

I'm perfectly happy with my body except for one thing... I'm hairy. I don't think average girls are as hairy as me. I have hair on my butt, my stomach, my back... I was just wondering if everygirl was like this or if there was a way to finally get rid of this horrible body hair. It really makes me self-conscious and I just want to know how to get rid of it so please help me!!!!!
-Werewolf Girl

Dear Werewolf Girl,

Body hair in new places is something you can count on as a teen — it's hormones in action. You may want to start shaving or waxing some places where body hair grows, such as your legs and underarms, but whether you do is up to you. If you do decide you want to get rid of unwanted body hair, research the options and ask an adult or older sibling for advice. Many products are made for unwanted body hair — everything from bleaches that lessen its appearance, to waxes that remove it from the roots, to cream or gel hair removers that are specially made to dissolve the hair, and make it come back finer and less noticeable. In the rare case where a girl's hair growth is enough to cause anxiety, a dermatologist or skin specialist can use permanent removal techniques such as electrolysis.

In some cases, excess hair growth in girls can be a sign of a medical condition. If you're at all worried about your excess hair growth, you should talk to your doctor about it, and have a thorough medical checkup to rule out any illness or conditions that could be causing this issue.

Finally, if you have fine hair on your stomach and other place where hair doesn't typically appear on girls, it could also be due to under-eating. Girls who become too skinny sometimes find hair growing all over, because their body feels vulnerable (since there's no padding on them), and it decides to grow a layer of hair for extra protection. This is common in girls with eating disorders like anorexia. If you suspect that this could be you, then again, please talk to your family doctor.