Is it normal to have hair everywhere as a girl?

Basically, I was diagnosed with PCOS around 2 years ago and I hace hair literally everywhere a girl normally doesn’t (light hair on stomach and back, my butt and some on my chest but it’s so light, you can’t really see it on my chest)
I have started waxing my legs and arms and the hair has come back a lot thinner which is good but I shave my stomach and lower back... is that a good idea?
I know PCOS can cause excessive hair but my mom who doesn’t have PCOS is in a similar position so I’m wondering whether it’s actually genetic?

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

chester69

Original post by Anonymous

If your hairy it doesn't matter that much just shave all over

Reply 2

Maid Marian

I thought everyone has hair except on the palms of their hands and bottom of feet. I'm quite a hairy girl to be honest.

Reply 3

black tea

This is pretty normal, tbh.

Reply 4

Hazelly

Study Forum Helper

Very normal, it just seems to be some girls like to shave it all off. You don’t have to of course!

Reply 5

maiiiiii

Having body hair all over is completely normal! Some people have more, some less, some people have darker hair, some have lighter hair. Almost everyone has body hair in all different kinds of places, it's completely natural (and serves a purpose)! It's only that we're being told it's shameful and to remove it (mainly because there are huge industries profitting from that), which is why we never see it and think are bodies are wrong and weird when they suddenly start growing hair in new places (which is also a normal part of puberty). Obviously it can be a symptom of something like PCOS, but even in that case the hair itself isn't bad. It makes me so sad how we treat body hair, especially on women. I wish we felt like we had the choice of whether we wanted to spend that money and time on finding ways to remove it or whether we wanted to let it grow. Our bodies (and the hair they grow) are not our enemy and we don't have to fight the things they do naturally if we don't want to!

Reply 6

xoxAngel_Kxox

It's normal. It's only really the media that makes people believes women should be hairless.

Incidentally I don't think I have PCOS, though I do have some symptoms, but I have always had hair that was quite thick on my legs (including my thighs), a trail from my bellybutton, and some hair around my nipples. Since I started the pill, that has mostly gone, which I was amazed at. Have you tried anything like that?

Reply 7

username3890778

i swear everyone has hair everywhere on their body? some just have more than others

Reply 8

Seris

am a 20-year-old man with not that much hair all over my body. I've seen females have more hair than me lol. Maybe it's normal i don't know.

Reply 9

username4937028

Despite what the media and social media makes you think, it's normal to have hair everywhere and of course the amount varies from person to person. It's just like for guys. You get the guys with naturally long hair everywhere, and the ones who basically look naked in comparison.

Reply 10

Plain1

It's normal. You don't have to shave it all off.

Reply 11

Bang Outta Order

Original post by Seris

am a 20-year-old man with not that much hair all over my body. I've seen females have more hair than me lol. Maybe it's normal i don't know.

lol. did you just call yourself a man?? you're only 20. you're a young man at most...certainly not a man. you've not got your own house and family and job and car.

Reply 12

Teigan182

Yes. It's 100% normal, everyone (barring people with conditions or who've had their hair permanently removed) had hair everywhere.

Reply 13

CoolCavy

Volunteer Team

About 50% of people have PCOS but dont know it, maybe your mum falls under that
It's normal, even more so if you have PCOS unfortunately

Original post by NoTearsLeftToCry

i swear everyone has hair everywhere on their body? some just have more than others

Everyone has body hair but thickness and darkness depends on ethnicity and also testosterone, women with pcos have elevated testosterone levels which can cause thick dark hair in typically 'male' places like the face, stomach etc

Reply 14

jay111a

just eat right and exercise, helps with the pcos, and despite that I bet you look great anyway hinny

Reply 15

maiiiiii

Original post by CoolCavy

About 50% of people have PCOS but dont know it, maybe your mum falls under that
It's normal, even more so if you have PCOS unfortunately

Actually, I think about 1 in 10 women/people with ovaries have PCOS - which is still a lot, and many aren't diagnosed which is obviously a problem.

Reply 16

CoolCavy

Volunteer Team

Original post by maiiiiii

Actually, I think about 1 in 10 women/people with ovaries have PCOS - which is still a lot, and many aren't diagnosed which is obviously a problem.

Yes 1 in 10 have it , 50 % of whom are undiagnosed. i didnt word it the best but you could tell what i meant

Reply 17

hanifah8716

Original post by Bang Outta Order

lol. did you just call yourself a man?? you're only 20. you're a young man at most...certainly not a man. you've not got your own house and family and job and car.

isnt a young man still a man though haha

Reply 18

Anonymous #1

I do have PCOS but both my mum and sister also have hair everywhere (they don't seem to have shown signs of PCOS as obviously as me but I know there are more subtle symptoms so they could have it too). I'm assuming that the hairiness is genetic rather than due to PCOS but I could be wrong