“Nina ndevu, siku hizi huwa nazishave tu” Nyota Ndogo opens up about struggle with a condition that makes her grow beards 

Nyota Ndogo has confessed she has been struggling to maintain a feminine look. The mother of two suffers from a condition that makes her grow beards like a man.

A relatively small number of women are able to grow enough facial hair to have a distinct beard. In some cases, female beard growth is the result of a hormonal imbalance (usually androgen excess), or a rare genetic disorder known as hypertrichosis. [sic]

Ovarian hyperthecosis arises when certain cells in the ovaries overproduce androgens “male” hormones such as testosterone. Case report details how ovarian hyperthecosis leads to balding, excess body hair and a male-sounding voice as well as an increase in libido. [sic]

I used to pluck the beards

Nyota Ndogo says the first time she noticed she was growing beards she decided to pluck them. But she discovered that whenever she plucked a single strand of hair two more would grow back.

The songbird has since decided to regularly shave her beards. She is however afraid of African myths about women who grow beards.

“Kitambo nlikua sijui nazing’oa kumbe uking’oa zikimea zinakuja mbili. Kila uking’oa huwa zinakuja zingine mbili, so siku hizi huwa nazishave tu. Lakini kitambo nigundue kuwa niking’oa zinakuja mbili zilikua tayari zimeshajaa huku (shows her chin),” said Nyota Ndogo in a video uploaded on her IG.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkgOBlmnIho/?