Khosi Nkanyezi Buthelezi, a 42-year-old woman from Johannesburg, South Africa, who has visible hair all over her body, including a beard, has explained why she let it grow. Khosi first became aware of her disease as a teenager, but she didn’t think it was odd because other women in her family had had similar experiences.
Despite receiving online slurs, she stated that she has accepted her unusual condition of profuse hair growth, which covers her entire body and includes a full beard.
Khosi’s curiosity drove her to seek medical advice concerning her excessive hair growth condition in late 2022. Despite their efforts, doctors were unable to deliver a diagnosis. As a result, she has chosen to completely embrace her distinct appearance and has begun documenting her experience on TikTok. Despite experiencing stares and nasty comments, she has demonstrated fortitude to online trolls, especially those who go as far as calling her terrible names including calling her a man, according to Daily Mail.
Khosi stated that she was raised with the image of ladies with extra body hair, similar to her aunts, who were considered blessed, powerful, and steadfast. Because she had no physical problems, she assumed that her own excessive hair growth was a hereditary feature, and she never felt the need to contact a doctor.
When she eventually saw a doctor, they offered hormone tests to look into potential links between fertility and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Both tests came back negative, indicating that she could have children if she wanted to, and that hormone treatment was unneeded because everything appeared to be fine.
During her medical trip, one specialist mentioned that Khosi may have hirsutism, a disorder that primarily affects women and causes excessive hair growth in certain parts of the body. She had never heard of this condition before, but it seemed serious, so she decided to test it by shaving her hair.
Despite family members’ cautions that shaving could worsen the illness, Khosi thought it was worth a shot, believing that the idea of hair growing back thicker after shaving was a fallacy.
She explained that she resorted to weekly razor shaving to manage her excessive hair growth because she works in a job that requires a respectable appearance. However, this appeared to have the opposite effect of helping the hair grow faster.
Khosi stated that the condition deteriorated significantly after she discontinued hair removal treatment a year ago. She eventually chose to embrace herself and prioritize self-love after being frustrated by her continuing battle with excessive hair growth.
She stopped shaving and highlighted that beauty may come in many different forms. Her defense is that self-acceptance is an essential component of self-care, since it builds confidence and self-esteem. Beauty, she believes, comes in all kinds, sizes, and forms.