Although often present over the entire body, Hypertrichosis can also be confined to patches on different areas of the body. You may get Congenital Hypertrichosis which is with you from birth or another form is Acquired Hypertrichosis where it may appear at some point in your life.

Hypertrichosis is a very rare medical condition. Since the middle ages, there have been only around fifty confirmed cases on record. The condition arises when in the womb; a layer of hair called the “lanugo” covering the fetus fails to fall off at the 8 month stage of the pregnancy. Normally this layer will get replaced by the “vellus” which continues to grow and produce the terminal scalp hair.

In the case of Congenital Hypertrichosis, the lanugo remains with the body after birth and continues to grow throughout the patients’ lifetime. In a rare version of the condition known as Congenital Hypertrichosis Terminalis, the lanugo obtains a pigment and to the ignorant, the person with this condition often resembles a werewolves or ape-man.

A slightly different version of this condition is Naevois Hypertrichosis where the hair is only found in one area of the body. This condition is not always congenital as it can occur during the lifetime of a person.

What are the causes of Hypertrichosis?

Nobody is absolutely sure what the causes of Hypertrichosis are. Some people have suggested that it is inherited or is a result of unexpected spontaneous gene mutation.

Sometimes Acquired Hypertrichosis can be caused by Cancer. Cancer related Hypertrichosis is known as Hypertrichosis Lanuginosa and often appears as a fine layer of hair on the face, nose and eyelids. Some metabolic disorders may also cause Hypertrichosis. Some oral drugs have also been suspected such as Phenytoin and Ciclosporin.