Specialties Ob/Gyn
Published Mar 7, 2007
LovebugLPN
275 Posts
I just started working in an ab/gyn office and yesterday the doctor went in to see a patient. This young woman (approx 30 years old) asked the dr if there was anything that could be done about the hair around her nipples. She showed it to the doctor and it was dark hair that she obviously felt uncomfortable about. He told her nothing could be done because tweezing it would lead in ingown hairs and depilatories would be too strong to use in that area. His behavior seemed very uncaring. I was sure it must have been difficult for this woman to speak up. She looked so upset and the doctor and I left the room to allow her to get dresses. Can nothing really be done to remove this hair and could this be a sign of something more serious?
walker shaw
21 Posts
Wouldn't electrolysis work?
Tweezing would hurt, could lead to ingrown hairs, and the hair will come back.
Dilapatories might not be good due to sensitivity as the doctor said (and speaking of sensitivity, sounds like the doctor might need a refresher course in sensitivity training IMHO)
But electrolysis is supposed to permanently remove unwanted hair, which I assume is what the patient wanted. Only question I have is whether electrolysis could in any way harm her milk ducts, etc. I wouldn't think so, but that is the only concern I can think of.
jjjoy, LPN
2,801 Posts
With tweezing, ingrown hairs can be a problem, but not everyone experiences that. A few ingrowns aren't dangerous anyway, are they? I've never heard of anyone discouraging tweezing nipple hair. Should I be more concerned?
I agree that it was rather insensitive of the doc to be so dismissive. I've found many docs to be this way. If something doesn't fit into a neat, easily addressed problem and doesn't seem to be a health threat then too many docs just dismiss it. Even if they can't do anything, it sure feels better if they listen and acknowledge the concern.
LPN_mn
138 Posts
I have been tweezing the hair around my nipples since the birth of my first child 23 years ago and have never had a problem. My girlfriend had electrolysis and it worked great for her.
Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN
12,126 Posts
Our docs recommend electrolysis.
Curls105
51 Posts
I tweeze mine. Never really had a problem!
whiskeygirl, LPN
219 Posts
How about laser hair removal? It would be permanent. And, I would think that the laser txs would be easier (less painful) than tweezing.
CEG
862 Posts
I can't believe I am typing this on a public message board but I am another nipple tweezer with no issues :imbar Just a few dark hairs, but I have never had a problem with ingrown hairs.
I felt really bad for this woman. Could it be indicating a possible hormone inbalance? I mean this was not just a few sporifice hairs and she also had some chest hair and chin hair. I was just thinking it may be something more.
cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN
4,106 Posts
I think it's normal, but sometimes abnormal hair growth can indicate PCOS.
weirdRN, RN
586 Posts
I thought hair around the nipples was supposed to be normal. I read approximately 30-50 hairs at any given time.
Our culture seems to be such that women are expected to be smooth all over. Therefore, many people assume that ANY hair is abnormal when that just isn't the case. Maybe playboy models are perfectly smooth but normal women are not.
Hirsutism is the abnormal overgrowth of male pattern hair on a female's body. That means excessive facial and chest hair. Not a little hair around the nipples.
Keepstanding, ASN, RN
1,600 Posts
What is PCOS ???