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Ask Dr Emma
Words Dr Emma Amoafo-Mensah
We recently gave a group of young women the opportunity to ask leading dermatologist, Dr Emma, those health questions they’ve been too shy or embarrassed to ask before. She has chosen her top three of the bunch.
Question 1:
Is facial hair for women normal?
This question becomes a little complex depending on your definition of 'normal'. All women have some hairs on their face and the hair’s presence does not indicate any underlying health problems whatsoever. This hair is usually fair and thin, and some women are just more hairy than others.
The medical term for abnormal, thick hair in a male-like pattern (i.e on the face, chin, sideburns, chin and back) is hirsutism. This is actually a relatively common condition, affecting around 10% of women in western societies.
Hirsutism is caused by an excess of male hormones – the most well-known being testosterone. All women have some testosterone in their bodies, but even a very slight imbalance of these hormone levels can cause hirsutism. Medical causes of hirsutism are polycystic ovary syndrome, Cushing’s disease and, rarely, genetic enzyme deficiencies. In many cases, no identifiable cause is found. Pregnancy and weight gain can cause hormone shifts, and this can sometimes cause hirsutism too. Women often grow more hairs as they get older, especially after the menopause.
Polycystic ovary syndrome is actually a relatively common condition; other symptoms include weight gain, acne and irregular periods. If you think you may be suffering from this, you discuss it with your doctor, who will usually arrange some blood tests and an ultrasound scan of your tummy.
Question 2:
What’s the best food to eat for increased iron levels?
Due to our monthly visitor, women of childbearing age are more likely to suffer from iron deficiency. Women who have heavy periods are at higher risk of being iron deficient, due to the extra blood loss. Iron deficiency in pregnancy is also very common, because more is needed to support the growing mini you on the inside. It’s often a good idea to include iron-rich foods in your diet to prevent iron deficiency. These foods include:
Dark-green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale
Red meat
Lentils and beans
You may be able to find foods that have been fortified with iron such as cereals
Large amounts of tea can reduce your body’s ability to absorb iron in your gut, so should be avoided if you know you’re prone to iron deficiency. True iron deficiency needs to be diagnosed with a blood test, and your doctor may recommend taking iron tablets to replenish your levels.
Question 3:
How do I keep the vaginal area clean?
By ‘the vagina’, I’m assuming you mean the vulva – which is actually the area that incorporates the whole outer part of the female genitals. It’s important to make this distinction because you don’t need to put things up the vagina to keep it clean, but you do need to wash your vulva.
Usually, all that’s needed is to clean the area with clean water at least once a day. You may choose to use plain, unperfumed soap, but should avoid perfumed soaps and gels that cause an imbalance of the pH and the naturally present good bacteria that keep your vulva nice and healthy. Mother Nature didn’t intend for it to smell like roses down there, so don’t force it, babes.
Simply use a clean washcloth or your hands to clean the vulval area. You should always clean from front to back i.e the clean your vulva before your backside, because otherwise bacteria from the back can spread to the front.
The practice of “douching” is popular with some women. This is where water or other solutions are squirted up the vagina to wash out anything that might be lurking up there. This practice is NOT recommended, as most of the stuff that’s chilling up there is meant to be there, and should just be left alone to do its thing.
As well as this, to keep your vagina safe, be mindful of any abnormal discharge which may suggest infection (see the question below), use a condom if having sex with a new partner and attend your smear tests when invited.
References
1. https://www.bad.org.uk/shared/get-file.ashx?id=89&itemtype=document
2. https://patient.info/doctor/urinary-tract-infection-in-adults
3. https://onlinedoctor.lloydspharmacy.com/uk/sti-tests/sti-symptoms-in-women
