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Chances are, you have seen many women with facial hair growth and wondered why they look the same as men. Many people with this condition have, however, faced stigma and other related body-shaming treatments simply because people fail to understand the condition. 

For many women, noticing hair growth on the face, particularly on the chin or jawline area, can be worrying. While it is less common than hair on arms or legs, it is more normal than most people realise.

Facial hair growth in women, often called hirsutism, is influenced by a number of factors, which include hormones, genetics, and sometimes medical conditions.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, hirsutism is a condition where women develop hair in areas typically associated with male patterns, and while it may be distressing, it is often treatable and rarely dangerous.

A doctor checking a patient's blood pressure.

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Conehealth

The growth of facial hair, usually around the chin area, is linked to higher levels of male hormones, known as androgens, exhibited in women.

According to experts, one of the most common causes of facial hair growth is a result of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition that affects hormone levels and often causes irregular periods, acne, and excess hair growth on the face and body.

Genetics also plays a significant role, where some women naturally inherit stronger hair follicles and higher sensitivity to hormones. This, according to experts, also means that if other women in the family have facial hair, it is likely to appear in younger generations too.

Hormonal changes at puberty, during pregnancy, or at menopause can trigger increased facial hair growth. This happens because fluctuations in hormones, particularly androgens like testosterone, affect the hair follicles.

During these life stages, either the levels of androgens rise or the hair follicles become more sensitive to them, signalling fine facial hairs to grow thicker, darker, and more noticeable.

In puberty, the body produces more sex hormones; in pregnancy, hormone shifts temporarily boost androgen effects; and at menopause, declining estrogen levels make the relative effect of androgens stronger, all contributing to increased facial hair.

A woman is undergoing the waxing process to remove eyebrows.

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Canva

At the same time, certain medications that influence hormone levels can also lead to increased facial hair growth in women. Drugs such as anabolic steroids, some hormonal contraceptives, and medications can raise androgen levels or mimic their effects, stimulating hair follicles to produce thicker and darker facial hair.

However, doctors say that it is important to note that sudden or excessive hair growth may signal an underlying medical issue, such as adrenal or ovarian disorders. Women experiencing rapid changes in facial hair should consult a healthcare professional.

Treatment and Elimination

For many women, facial hair is a cosmetic rather than medical concern, and there are several safe treatment options available, ranging from temporary methods like shaving, waxing, or depilatory creams to more long-term solutions like laser hair removal.

Additionally, some people with the condition use the threading technique, which is a hair removal technique that uses a thin, twisted cotton or polyester thread to remove unwanted hair from the root. The thread is rolled over the skin in a way that traps hairs and pulls them out, making it precise and effective for shaping eyebrows, removing upper lip hair, or tidying other small areas on the face.

Electrolysis is another permanent option for women seeking to remove hair completely, which works by targeting individual follicles and preventing hair from growing back.

Doctors may prescribe hormonal therapies such as oral contraceptives or anti-androgen medications to reduce hair growth over time, particularly when it is linked to conditions like PCOS.

Lifestyle changes, including weight management and diet adjustments, can also reduce hormone imbalances and help control unwanted hair in some women.

A woman undergoing the waxing process.

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Canva

Did you know that you can sue your employer for underpayment? Welcome to Money Box, a new space dedicated to breaking down financial matters, explaining policies and showing how they impact on your finances and everyday life.

The Employment and Labour Relations Court in Kisumu recently ruled that a worker had been unfairly dismissed and was entitled to back pay and other statutory benefits. This ruling clarified that workers cannot be paid below the statutory minimum wage and can seek legal redress if underpaid.

These developments followed a case in which a domestic worker, who had served her employer for six years on a monthly salary of Ksh4,000, an amount the court found to be below the legal minimum wage, with no allowances or leave pay, filed a claim for underpayment.

The employee approached the court seeking payment for her underpayment, house allowance, leave pay, salary in lieu of notice (termination pay) and compensation for unfair termination.

A househelp organising clothes for laundry.

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On the other hand, the employer argued that the worker was a casual employee who had absconded from duty, claiming she was therefore not entitled to full employment rights.

In an earlier ruling, a trial court found that the worker was a full-time employee, her termination was unfair and that she qualified for statutory benefits, including adjustments to meet minimum wage standards.

However, the employer was still determined to challenge the decision and appealed the case.

On appeal, the court upheld the finding of unfair termination but reduced some of the awards, including gratuity, and ordered that the worker be paid the house allowance, leave pay, and salary in lieu of notice, totalling Ksh569,717.48.

The court also referenced an earlier ruling stating that if an employee leaves their workstation without communicating their whereabouts, it is the employer’s legal duty to reach out and seek clarification. If the employer decides to terminate the employee’s services, that process must be done formally and in writing.

“The law is therefore well settled that an employer claiming that an employee has deserted duty must demonstrate the efforts made towards getting the employee to resume duty. At the very least, the employer is expected to issue a notice to the deserting employee that termination of employment on the ground of desertion is being considered,” the court documents read in part.

In his ruling, Justice Jacob Gakeri emphasised that “Minimum wage is a prescription of the law and binds all employers of employees in those categories,” making it clear that paying below the legal minimum is unlawful.

Further, the court maintained that employers should pay their employees for all the leave days not taken, ruling that annual leave is a statutory right of every employee.  

“Analogous to house allowance, annual leave is a statutory right of every employee, and if not taken, the employer is required to pay for the leave days the employee worked,” he added.

At the same time, the court pointed out that employers claiming that their employees deserted duty must demonstrate reasonable efforts to contact the employee and follow proper disciplinary procedures as per the law.

A photo of workers plucking tea in Kericho County.

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The Guardian

Rabies remains one of the oldest and deadliest viral diseases globally. Despite being highly vaccine-preventable, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that it still kills 59,000 people, mostly in Asia and Africa, where access to vaccines or animal control strategies remains limited.

Approximately 2,000 people die from rabies in Kenya each year, with the majority of victims being children, according to the WHO.

Rabies is a Zoonotic (transmitted between humans and animals), viral disease that primarily affects the central nervous system.

This disease is transmitted when saliva from an infected animal, most commonly dogs, which account for up to 99% of cases of transmission to humans, enters the body of a human, or even other mammals, through bites, scratches, or licks on broken skin.

Trained security dogs.

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Robb Report

When rabies enters the body, the virus travels along nerves to the brain, where it triggers inflammation of the brain.

It then spreads back through the nerves to other parts of the body, leading to a range of neurological symptoms like agitation, confusion, paralysis, difficulty swallowing as well as fever and headaches, which can often be fatal if the victim is not treated quickly.

Barking Like Dog Misconception

A common misconception about the disease is that infected people literally start barking like dogs. In reality, however, the virus does not alter a person’s voice to resemble an animal’s.

However, some people may exhibit symptoms such as aggression or make unusual sounds due to the disease's neurological effects, which are often mistaken for animal sounds.

Prompt post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) can prevent the virus from reaching the brain. This includes washing the wound and administering a course of rabies vaccine, or administering rabies immunoglobulin or monoclonal antibodies into the wound if indicated.

“If a person is bitten or scratched by a potentially rabid animal, they should immediately and always seek PEP care,” WHO says.

“Rabies, a neglected tropical disease (NTD), predominantly affects marginalized populations. Although effective human vaccines and immunoglobulins exist for rabies, these are often inaccessible or unaffordable to those in need,” it adds.

Types of Rabies

There are two forms of rabies, and the first one is the Furious rabies. This type of disease results in hyperactivity, excitable behaviour, hallucinations, lack of coordination, fear of water, and fear of fresh air. Death occurs after a few days due to cardio-respiratory arrest.

The second type of rabies is paralytic rabies, which accounts for approximately 20% of the total number of human cases. This form of rabies runs a less dramatic and usually longer course than the furious form. 

Muscles gradually become paralysed, starting from the wound site. A coma slowly develops, and eventually, death occurs.

Eliminating Rabies

The tools to eliminate the disease, which include dog and human vaccination, community education, and timely medical treatment, are well known and highly effective for disease prevention, according to the WHO.

Rabies vaccines, are given in two stages: pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). In pre-exposure, vaccines administered include the Human Diploid Cell Vaccine (HDCV) and Purified Chick Embryo Cell Vaccine (PCECV).

 It is usually given in three doses, especially to people at high risk, such as veterinarians, animal handlers, or travellers in high-risk areas.

In post-exposure, one receives rabies immunoglobulin (RIG), which is injected around the wound for severe exposures. One also gets a rabies vaccine, which is a series of 4–5 doses over 2–4 weeks, depending on the protocol used.

“Effective vaccines are available to immunise people both before and after potential exposures. As of 2024, there are only 3 WHO pre-qualified human rabies vaccines available globally: RABIVAX-S by Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd., VaxiRab N by Zydus Lifesciences Limited, and VERORAB by Sanofi Pasteur,” WHO says.

A nurse administering a vaccine to a baby at a Nairobi hospital on April 16, 2021.

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UNICEF Kenya

Access to credit remains one of the biggest hurdles for many Kenyans, especially for individuals and small business owners who need quick financing.

Traditional financial institutions' loans often involve long approval processes, strict requirements, and substantial security, making them inaccessible for many. This has led to the rise of alternative lending solutions, such as logbook loans, which likely offer faster and more flexible access to funds.

A logbook loan is a type of secured loan that allows car owners to borrow money using their vehicle as security collateral while still retaining possession and use of it. 

The lender then holds the car’s logbook, essentially its ownership document, until the borrower repays the loan in full.

Motorists along the busy Thika Super Highway at Survey Area, November 12, 2019.

Kenyans.co.ke

Once the debt is cleared, ownership is transferred back to the borrower, allowing them to be able to use their logbooks for their desired financial decisions.

The amount one can borrow through a logbook loan usually depends on the car’s market value and the lender’s assessment criteria. 

Most lenders offer between 60 and 80 percent of the car’s appraised value, meaning that a vehicle worth Ksh1 million could qualify for a loan of between Ksh600,000 and Ksh800,000.

“One of the most striking features of logbook loans is the speed of disbursement. In some cases, loans are approved and processed in as little as six hours. For many borrowers, that efficiency makes all the difference, especially in emergencies,” explained Levis Otieno, an expert in the financial sector.

“The mission is to empower clients to achieve financial freedom without unnecessary bureaucracy,” adds Otieno. “With logbook loans, clients can access funds quickly and securely, while continuing to use their vehicles.”

Pros and Cons

One of the major advantages of logbook loans is the speed of access. Unlike traditional financial institutions, which may take weeks to process a loan application, logbook lenders can disburse funds within a few hours or on the same day.

The required documents are also relatively straightforward and include the car logbook, national ID, KRA PIN, insurance certificate and a recent bank or mobile money statement.

Additionally, the repayment terms also tend to be flexible, depending on the lender, as borrowers can choose repayment periods ranging from a few months to a year or more.

Some lenders allow early repayment without penalties, which helps borrowers save on interest costs with the ability to also restructure the loans to suit individual cash flows, especially for business owners or self-employed individuals.

However, logbook loans can also carry significant risks. Since the car acts as collateral, failure to repay the loan can result in repossession. Therefore, as a borrower, it is important to evaluate your repayment ability before committing to a loan.

Interest rates on logbook loans can also be higher than those charged by traditional financial institutions due to the higher risk profile of unsecured or non-salaried borrowers.

The good news is that traditional financial institutions are regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) by law, and the CBK determines lending rates, thereby eliminating the risk of high interest charges.

Credit sector experts often advise borrowers to read and understand the terms and conditions of a loan agreement, paying particular attention to the total cost of the loan, the interest rate, penalties for late payment and the lender’s repossession policy.

The Central Bank of Kenya

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KO Associates

Chances are high that you are among the thousands of Kenyans who carry packed food either to work or usually pack your food in plastic containers for later consumption. 

But have you ever stopped and wondered how safe the practice is, especially when you leave those hot meals in plastic containers over time?

Well, this everyday habit could be silently harming your health. 

Behind the convenience of plastic containers lies a growing concern among experts: harmful chemicals may be getting into your food and slowly affecting your body's health.

Groceries on a kitchen countertop.

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Cookery Space

According to experts, most plastics contain compounds like bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates. These are known as endocrine disruptors because they mimic hormones in the body.

When food is stored in plastic, especially under heat or prolonged storage, small amounts of these substances can get into the food.

According to the U.S. National Toxicology Program Centre for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction report, BPA has potentially harmful effects on the brain, behaviour, and prostate glands of foetuses and infants.

Additionally, these compounds cause hormonal imbalances, fertility issues, certain cancers, and developmental problems in children.

Although some manufacturers now label products as ‘BPA-free,’ studies have shown that alternative chemicals may also have harmful effects.

Plastics Exposed to High and Low Temperatures

Reheating food in plastic containers in the microwave or pouring hot soup or tea into them accelerates the release of the chemicals.

While freezing food in plastic could be slowing the chemical release, the expansion of frozen food can cause microcracks in containers, making them prone to the leaching of the compounds into your food.

What to Do

Experts advise switching to glass, ceramics, or stainless steel containers for food storage, especially for hot meals. 

However, the use of plastic is also not strictly a bad practice. If you have to use plastic, check the manufacturer's recycling codes.

In Kenya, though not all manufacturers have adopted the insertion of the codes that show the type of plastic used to make the containers. 

An image of food stacked inside a ridge inside plastic containers.

Kenyans.co.ke

Frankline Oduor