Hypertricosis, also known as werewolf syndrome, is an extremely rare disease in which there is excessive hair growth anywhere in the body, which can occur in both men and women; this excessive growth of hair may even end up covering the face, which ends up contributing to the name of werewolf syndrome.
Depending on the cause, symptoms may appear early in infancy, when the syndrome is caused by a genetic change, but it can also occur only in adults, due to changes such as malnutrition, cancer, or the use of certain types of medications.
- There is still no cure for hypertricosis that can prevent hair growth.
- So it is common for people to use techniques.
- Such as waxing or gillette.
- To try to temporarily reduce the amount of hair and improve aesthetics.
- Especially in the face area.
Hypertricosis is characterized by excessive hair growth in the body, however, there are three main types of hair that can occur:
Different cases of hypertrichosis can have different hair types, and it is not necessary for everyone to have all types.
In addition to excessive hair growth, in some people with hypertricosis it is also relatively common for gum problems and even lack of certain teeth.
Typically, the diagnosis of hypertricosis is made clinically, that is, by observing symptoms and medically evaluating the person’s entire history; in the case of the child or baby, this diagnosis may be made by the pediatrician; in adults, it is common for a dermatologist to be diagnosed or then by a general practitioner.
The specific cause of the appearance of this condition is not yet known, however, it is possible to observe several cases of hypertrichosis in members of the same family, so it is considered that hypertrichosis is caused by a genetic mutation that passes from generation to generation. generation within the same family, and turns on the pill-making gene, which has been turned off during evolution.
However, as there are cases of people who have hypertricosis only in adulthood, there are also other factors that have been identified as causing the disease, namely cases of extreme malnutrition, prolonged use of medications, particularly androgen steroids, and cases of cancer or skin.diseases such as late skin porphyria.
Since there is no form of treatment capable of curing hypertricosis, hair removal is generally used to improve the body’s aesthetics and try to reduce the amount of hair.Some of the most commonly used techniques include:
Due to excessive use of hair removal, certain skin problems, such as scarring, dermatitis or hypersensitivity reactions, may occur, and for this reason, the dermatologist can help guide the best treatment to reduce hair growth.