VIDEOS!!!

"Hairy women have feelings too"

!!

Aris Steele, AKA Hair Force 1, is an internet presence in support of hirsute women. Here is the mission statement:

After Years and Years of Struggle and Strife. Hair Force 1 Finally begins it's Sacred Mission, "To Fight for the Natural Hirsute Women of the World."
It's Time for a Serious Change in Attitudes and that change begins with Hair Force 1
Many people won't understand what we are fighting for. Many People will Disagree with what we are trying to do.
That's alright with us Because it does not matter what anyone thinks.
We expect a good fight and overcoming Barriers is part of the Mission. This day has been a Long Time Coming and it is finally here.
For the first time in the History of the World
Natural Women With Hairy Arms or Legs have a Force to fight for them. Just as determined as the Forces that Prey on them for Profit. Nobody Knows who we are.
Soon Everybody will know about Hair force 1 and our Mission.
Hair Force 1 Has Taken Flight. the mission has Begun

He (yes, it's a man) definitely seems adamant about the whole thing!

He has a great youtube channel with tonnes of videos of hirsute women showing off their "goods" (as in hair). Just as a side note - the videos are NOT pornographic (and I sincerely appreciate that).
Check his blog out too!

(bless his soul)

happy camper...?

Soooooo,

I am going camping this weekend. it's my first time.

oh god.

i've been trying to remove all my hair for the trip, but i haven't quite succeeded. i found a great sugaring recipe (posted above) which has worked wonders on my arms and legs. i wasnt able to find the time to *attack* (!) the other areas of my body so i bailed and took to shaving. the major areas i had to do were my back, chest and thighs....

my body is so red and sore from the blade now. i dont think i've ever felt so cruel. i wasn't able to reach all of my back and now i have this dumb patch of hair smack in the centre. i think i'll lie and say i forgot my bathing suit. maybe it will rain.

i wanted to ask my mum if she would be able to help me sugar my back, but she was so tired when she got home from work that i didnt bother asking. i am still unemployed for the summer, but i have money saved up for naturopathic treatment and the occasional 'emergency' salon waxing. neither of which i have tried as yet.

my skin is still burning from the irritation, so i think i will probably sleep undressed tonight. i really love the feeling of the sheets against my skin. clothes can be such a burden sometimes...
i recently purchased some unrefined sesame oil to use as moisturizer. the specific oil has been specified in ayurvedic science (an indian healing system), so i guess a part of me hopes that it will help put an end to a certain area of my life.

its 2:30am now and i have to wake by 5.
i am pretty sleepy.
if it's okay, im only going to post a link to the recipe (and change it to a real post later):
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/ancient-egyptian-body-sugaring.html



hope that each and every one of you is doing and feeling beautifully
-A.


ps - I THINK ITS RAINING OUTSIDE! holy shit!

you know you're hirsute when....

hi everyone,

i thought that i should add some humour to the subject.
this is just some stuff i came up with while shaving in the shower just a while ago (at 2 AM!)

YOU KNOW YOU'RE HIRSUTE WHEN...

- You shave your collar bones!
- you wish you were as hairy as your brother
- you only have time to wax/sugar one leg in a day
- you know what its like to nick your back with a razor (did that tonight!)
- you spend more time checking out women in bathing suits and short skirts than men
- your chest hair is impressive - but you're a woman
- you've had ingrown hairs on your bum

....
okay, so its not entirely funny, but feel free to add to the list!

my absence!

Hi Everyone!

I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for not updating the blog or replying to any posts. I've been a bit busy with school for the last month or so, and now I'm in the midst of my exams (argh!) But this also means that the summer break is around the corner! Expect a lot more in May and a big thanks to everyone for being part of this.


Much love and the sincerest of wishes,
A.

Another Hirsutism Support Group!

I encourage everyone to check this out:

http://www.keratin.net/forums/viewforum.php?f=8

I personally found this very helpful, as not only are there lots of women using it, it very openly and honestly discusses some of the more sensitive issues such as dealing with relationships, self-esteem, emotions, and even thoughts of suicide.
It's not all bleak though as there is even a thread on various things that have been working for people such as exercise, changes in diet etc.

I was quite surprised to find this forum as I had searched extensively (and found very little) before creating this blog. However, it was definitely a pleasant surprise, especially considering the number of stories that people have contributed. It's always a relief to know that one is not alone.

I hope that everyone is well and having a good weekend,

Much love,
A.

Hirsutism, Chakras and Spirituality

Hello Everyone,

So I am finally updating this blog!

I found some interesting information regarding hirsutism, chakras and spirituality. I am not sure how you all feel about this, but it certainly resonates with me. The website is called healer. ch. It is moderated by the Brofman Foundation for the Advancement of Healing. This is taken from their message boards. Here is the link:

http://bodymirror.proboards42.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1141020124&page=1


Here is a brief overview of the discussion:

"could you please let me know for a lady with hirituism (excessive hair) on her legs and chin, sideburns, eyebrows, face, stomach, breasts, hands, toes and 'female anatomy' what the associated chakra and reasoning for such an illness is."

-excess yang (male) energy and greater expression of the male rather than the female side
-Trying to be more like a male in order to satisfy a parent
-The person has to love themselves as a woman, and be proud and happy to be a woman
-learn to see yourself as beautiful and worthy of love - love from yourself and from others
- it is the effect of what they were doing in their consciousness, and the results of deep decisions that they had made, in response to conditions to which they reacted at the time the symptom began
-"But you say that you are very feminine, so, although when you look in the mirror you can't help noticing the hair, other people will see your femininity shining through! Concentrating on your femininity and enjoying it will help your confidence to grow, but unfortunately, being stressed and focusing on the hair will help the hair to grow"
-brow and sacral chakra imbalance


I am unsure of how others feel about such an outlook on health, illness and disease. I know that I feel very strongly about the body and sickness as metaphors for larger and deeper (and perhaps more personal) issues that take place on an emotional and spiritual level.

Here's a little more about myself:

For the past year, my hirsutism has been a source of utter confusion (and anguish). I am turning 22 next month, and while I could dream my life away when I was a kid, I cannot do that anymore as I know longer want to be blind to reality. I was born with hirsutism and the medical doctors that I have seen have told me that my hirsutism is idiopathic, therefore having no underlying basis.
I have been thinking a lot about how to deal with this thing that supposedly has no cause. It's making me re-evaluate my life, my self, and most importantly my beliefs - all in order to find a root to this all. I fall upon the idea of the imbalance of energies etc as I believe that there is a lot more to us than just our physical selves. One piece of advice that really stood out for me from the discussion on healer.ch was the one regarding family. From the time that I was very little to do this day, I have always had to be fortress in my family - the one to make everything to okay, the one to keep the family together, the one to make everyone feel better (my mother in particular for whom I often felt the need to fulfill the role my father never played). Considering all of this and my relationship with my mother, I am now not surprised that I am hirsute. I still wish that I didnt have to deal with this in the first place, but perhaps there is something, like a lesson, I must learn.

I am trying very hard, and I will keep on trying till this gets better. I don't believe in making compromises, especially in terms of my happiness and well being so if someone tells me that there is nothing I can do about this...I am not going to listen! I spent a lot of today in bed, and even had a bit of a good cry (!), which we all know is sometimes necessary and even comforting, but Im feeling better now and so much more hopeful. I dont know what tomorrow will bring, but as long as I do what feels most right in my heart, I think everything might just be okay.


All the best everyone!
A.

ps- let me know what you think, I'm a bit curious.

Stories

Hi everyone,

You can post your stories as comments in this section. I'm looking forward to reading them.

Here's my story:

I am a 21 year old female and I have had hirsutism for as long as I can remember. I'm going to copy-paste parts of a letter that I wrote to a homeopath just recently. I will start seeing her soon. Hopefully it will be something fruitful (fingers crossed)

"I have had blood tests that show normal hormonal levels, and will get myself checked for PCOS soon. My periods are also regular. My hair growth is definately excessive, occuring very visibly all over my body. According to my understanding it is mostly terminal hair, with vellus hairs occuring on my back, chest, shoulders, stomach, and buttocks. However, even these are quite long and are getting thicker as I get older. I was wondering what I could do about this. The doctor at my university recommended birth control pills and laser hair removal, neither which I am comfortable with at this point (and the latter also being rather expensive for me at ths point). The hair removal methods that I do use are: threading (face), waxing (anywhere else on my body) and shaving occasionally.
...
To give you a bit more information on myself:
-I have mainly been following a vegan diet for the past 2 years avoiding alchohol, caffeine and processed food
-I suffered from an eating disorder around age 16 which exacerbated my hirsutism (more vellus hairs), but upon dealing with that problem, my levels are back to normal.
-I unfortunately do not have a regular excercise schedule at all
-my background is South Asian. However, nobody in my immediate family is hirsuite
-I have been hirsuite since I was a child, so it is not something that came with the onset of puberty
...
I guess to put simply, I would kind of want to wear a nice dress, maybe learn how to swim, and perhaps even go on a date at least once before I die. "

Note: I got myself checked for PCOS and I am clear for it.

My hirsutism has bothered me greatly in the past, but I am dealing with it better now. I think some of it has to do with an acceptance of it on my part as worrying about it became a bit repetitive and futile. I guess it isnt all that bad, because it has taught me to value the intellect, including my own. I am going to admit that it does get a bit hard. Even though I have accepted the reality of hirutism in my life, I struggle accepting my body. I often feel like I was meant to be a man and went through a phase of some serious gender dysphoria that lasted quite a while. I'm a bit awkward with myself and the way I dress sometimes because I'm very careful with how much skin I show (and dont show). I have had to push several people away in the past for fear of ending up in an intimate relationship with them, or showing signs that I desired such a thing, inspite of how much I may have liked or even loved them. Some of you might be able to expose yourself in these situations, but I have not yet been able to. I really hate how I have to curb my spontaneity as I am quite outgoing and easy-going by nature, but overtime I have become timid and shy. I am trying to get over this and I know that I can (you can too).
As you all know, the list can go on. This is a peculiar problem as those that don't have it dont think much of it, or realize the immense psychological, spiritual and emotional impacts it can have. Sometimes I wonder when I will be able to lead a normal life but sometimes I feel like I am getting there.
I really wish I could be more positive about this as I know I sound a bit despondant. I guess this is just another journey and it is up to me to decide which direction I want to travel. The world is really just too beautiful a place to roam with closed eyes and a cold heart.


I wish you all the best,
Lots of love, hugs and warmth,
A.

A little introduction

Hi everyone!

As a person suffering from hirsutism, I often feel like I don't receive the support, or perhaps the type of support, I need.
Being unable to find that safe and understanding space, I figured I might as well create my own, and one for everyone else to share.
Over time I will add information regarding causes, treatment and anything else I feel is helpful. Feel free to share your personal stories as that is a large part of what this blog intends to do. Unfortunately I have next to zero web design skills and a blog may not be the best instrument for this purpose, but I encourage you to do it anyway!

I wish you all love and strength
Please don't feel like you are alone :)
Sincerely,
A.