Hair on your stomach is normal and caused by genetics and hormones (androgens), with puberty causing fine vellus hair to become thicker terminal hair, especially in men, while some women develop a line of hair, and pregnancy can also cause temporary growth; it's usually harmless, but sudden changes can relate to medical conditions like PCOS or medications, so see a doctor if concerned.
Yes. The appearance of hair on the stomach (the abdomen) is a normal part of puberty for many people assigned male at birth and can also occur in those assigned female at birth. It's one sign of the body's increasing sex hormone activity during adolescence.
The symptoms of PCOS may include: Missed periods, irregular periods, or very light periods. Ovaries that are large or have many cysts. Extra body hair, including the chest, stomach, and back (hirsutism)
There are a few conditions that can cause unwanted hair growth in women (hirsuitism). Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common, affecting 8-10% of women. Hair growth in the midline of the body (such as the upper lip, chin, lower stomach, or your back) can be due to PCOS.
It's caused by an excess of male hormones called androgens. All women naturally produce small amounts of androgens. But high levels of these hormones can lead to hirsutism.
The only places where hair doesn't grow are:
“Having fine hair on the abdomen is pretty common but occasionally a few thicker longer hairs may develop and this can be completely normal,” Shah says. Like most body hair, it's typically more common in women with darker hair and/or skin. “Like nipple hair, it is due to normal hormonal shifts and genetics.”
Hairy arms and legs are not usually the result of abnormal hormone patterns, but rather reflect the woman's family or ethnic background. "Midline" hair growth (e.g. upper lip, chin, abdomen, between the breasts and/or buttocks) is more suspicious for PCOS.
Ellen Marmur, most women do indeed have abdominal hair, often due, like most other physical attributes, to normal ethnic variation or hormone levels. “When you're in a high hormone state, not only is your progesterone and estrogen high, but also your testosterone,” says Marmur.
What does PCOS belly look like? PCOS belly is characterized by excess fat accumulation around the abdominal area, often resulting in a distinctive body shape commonly referred to as an “apple shape.” Some people feel as though their abdomen feels larger in proportion to the rest of their body.
The first signs of PCOS often appear around puberty and include irregular or missed periods, excessive hair growth (hirsutism) on the face/body, severe acne, and hair thinning on the scalp, all caused by hormonal imbalances (high androgens/insulin). Other early indicators can be weight gain, skin changes like dark patches (acanthosis nigricans), skin tags, and difficulty getting pregnant later on.
You may develop coarse, dark hair growth on your upper lip, chin, chest, abdomen or back instead of the fine hair sometimes referred to as “peach fuzz” that commonly grows in those areas. Hirsutism can cause distress, but it's treatable.
Get a health care checkup if over a few months you have heavy or rapid hair growth on your face or body. Also get checked if you notice symptoms of virilization. You may be referred to a healthcare professional who finds and treats hormone disorders, called an endocrinologist.
A deep dive into different methods of stomach hair removal
Having a hairy belly during pregnancy doesn't indicate anything on its own. It is quite common to find you grow more hair or hair in places you previously didn't have much while pregnant. Noticing some new belly hair growth is not a cause for concern and won't mean that either you or the baby require medical attention.
Many people with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) have excess weight, but this isn't always the case. People with lean PCOS may face diagnostic delays and long-term health consequences similar to people with overweight/obesity PCOS. Treatments for lean PCOS are similar to treatments for non-lean PCOS.
Some supplements that may help with hirsutism include:
Most women find out they have PCOS in their 20s and 30s, when they have problems getting pregnant and see their doctor. But PCOS can happen at any age after puberty. Women of all races and ethnicities are at risk of PCOS.
As with all body hair, the choice to keep or remove stomach hair is completely up to you.
Hair is not found on the lips, portions of the external genitalia, the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, and the sides of the fingers, toes, and feet. There are two types of hair found on the human body; vellus hair and terminal hair.
Across populations
In 1876, Oscar Peschel wrote that North Asiatic Mongols, Native Americans, Malays, Hottentots and Bushmen have little to no body hair, while Semitic peoples, Indo-Europeans, and Southern Europeans (especially the Portuguese and Spanish) have extensive body hair.
5 Signs of Damaged Hair
Those with fine hair or oily scalps typically need to shampoo more frequently, roughly once a day or once every other day. If you have thick, coarse, or chemically treated hair, you may benefit from a less frequent wash schedule.