Why am I suddenly growing facial hair?

Answered by Eva Taub

I know how unsettling this feels — most of the women I see with this question tell me they noticed it in the mirror one day and haven’t stopped thinking about it since. Sudden new facial hair growth in an adult woman, especially coarse, dark hair on the chin, jawline, or upper lip, is most often a sign of rising androgen (hormone) levels, and PCOS is the most common cause. Other causes include menopause-related hormonal shifts, certain medications, and less commonly other hormonal conditions. It’s rarely “just genetics” if it’s a new or rapidly changing pattern rather than something you’ve always had.

The good news: this kind of hair responds well to laser hair removal calibrated for your skin tone, and if you haven’t been evaluated for PCOS or another hormonal cause, that’s worth doing alongside cosmetic treatment.