If you ask a woman about the most distinguishing feature that adds value to her face and beauty, it got to be her hair.

And why not! That is probably the only part of your face that you get to customize to that extent—long or short, straight or curls, plain or coloured—the experimentation could be endless.

However, hair at other places may not be a very welcome proposition if you ask. But we really can’t help something that nature has endowed us with, and besides, we have several ways to remove it. But what can be done if hair growth is detected at places where you normally wouldn’t expect it to appear?

And one such place which can cause considerable embarrassment is the chin. It is really a tricky area because you usually don’t notice it unless you strain your neck and push your head back. It is said that most of us get hair growth on the chin at least once in our life.

Hirsutism is not a threatening condition by itself. However, it does indicate the underlying health issues that the body may be suffering from. Therefore, it is good to get the necessary checks done.

Given below are some reasons why you might find hair on the chin.

1. Your Genes

Your genetic makeup may influence your hair growth pattern. It is said that hirsutism is hereditary. If your maternal relatives like grandmother, mother, aunts or sisters had chin hair at a certain age, you are also likely to get it around the same time. It is also found to be more common in the regions of South Asia, Mediterranean, and the Middle East.

2. Hormonal Imbalances

The condition of hirsutism can also be associated with unusually higher levels of male hormones called androgens in the female body. Female bodies normally produce these male hormones, but usually, their levels are low and therefore nothing abnormal surfaces out of it. But if the female bodies produce higher amounts of androgen, then we can see the effects like chin hair, deeper voice, acne or smaller breasts in women.

3. Aging

Like the stages of puberty and pregnancy, the stage of menopause also goes through a lot of hormonal ups and downs. At this stage, women’s bodies produce less of estrogen hormones. If hair growth in the upper lip or on the chin is noticeable at this age, there are high chances of menopausal imbalances being the reason.

4. Polycystic Ovaries

Another deep-rooted hormonal imbalance seen in the women’s bodies is the Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. It causes irregularities in periods, weight gain, fertility issues due to cyst formation in the ovaries instead of healthy eggs, and of course hirsutism. If you are well in your reproductive age and find hair growth in the areas of the chin or the chest, you could probably get yourself checked for PCOS.