Indonesia woman spends 19 years hiding behind a head scarf because she grew a beard after birth of her first child
- Agustina Dorman, 38, first noticed the stubble growth days after giving birth
- Hidden her face under a hijab whenever outside in Penaga village, Indonesia
- She decided to reveal her face after her eldest child was taunted
A woman who began sprouting thick facial hair for 19 years following the birth of her first child says she no longer wants to hide her beard away.
Indonesian Agustina Dorman, 38, first noticed the stubble growth when she was 25, days after the birth of her first child.
Ever since she has hidden her face under a hijab whenever outside in Penaga village, Indonesia.
But she woman has decided to ditch the clothing and accept her condition – regardless of the stares and unwanted attention she now attracts.
Agustina – who also sports a mild moustache and chest hair – says that whenever she attempted to cut or shave the beard she experienced unbearable pain.
After several attempts to rid herself of the goatee, she was forced to let it grow.
And scared that her children – aged 19 and three – would be bullied for their mother’s appearance, Agustina hid away under the hijab.
Tormented: Agustina Dorman, first noticed the beard growth when she was 25, days after the birth of her first child
Among Indonesia’s large Muslim population, Agustina could move about without attracting unwanted attention.
But she says her eldest child began to receive taunts from others who found out about their mother’s unusual condition.
Personal: Agustina’s identity card clearly shows her beard
It led to her confronting her children’s tormentors by unveiling herself and freely walking around their village for the first time this week.
She hopes that through education about her condition, people will become accepting of her appearance.
Earlier this year a German bearded lady called Mariam appeared on British programme This Morning to reveal she felt sexy with her stubble.
Mariam now travels with a circus as the bearded lady act, which she says she enjoys since she has studied acting in the past and also likes educating people about the issue.
‘I want to give people the opportunity to talk to a bearded lady, because usually they are too scared in the street’
She said: ‘I want to give people the opportunity to talk to a bearded lady, because usually they are too scared in the street.’
Earlier this year a German bearded lady called Mariam appeared on Daytime TV in the UK to reveal she even felt sexy with her stubble
ONE IN TEN WOMEN SUFFER FROM EXCESS FACIAL AND BODY HAIR
It’s estimated that one in ten women suffers from excess facial and body hair. But what causes it?
‘Sometimes race or just a family tendency to be more hairy is to blame, rather than any medical problem,’ explains Dr Rina Davison, an endocrinologist from Whipps Cross University Hospital, London, with a special interest in excess hair.
‘People of South Asian or Mediterranean descent tend to have more hair than Caucasians or those with black skin, for example. It’s also possible to be quite a “hairy” family regardless of race.’
But there are other factors that could be to blame.
Women normally produce low levels of male hormones called androgens, but an excess can trigger unwanted hair growth known as hirsutism.
A common cause of hirsutism is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, which has accompanying symptoms of acne, weight gain and irregular periods.
Other, rarer, causes include a tumour on the ovary or adrenal gland as well as certain medicines including steroids.
Rarely, a woman will have normal androgen levels and the cause of the unwanted hair growth will not be identified.
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