My hairy back makes me so self-conscious that I now avoid meeting women

DEAR DEIDRE: HAVING a hairy back and shoulders is making me feel so self-conscious that I now avoid meeting women. 

I feel more  like a gorilla than a man. Is there any medication I could take to get rid of it?

I’m a 35-year-old man and started growing back hair in my late 20s. 

As I have fair skin and black hair, it’s really noticeable.

But it’s impossible to shave off myself. 

Chest hair is one thing, but people always joke about hairy backs, making it clear they’re seen as unattractive. 

And good-looking men invariably have hairless chests and backs. 

After being teased mercilessly by some mates, I no longer want to take my shirt off. I’ve stopped going swimming or to the gym. 

As for dating, I feel too shy to get undressed in front of a woman in case she is repulsed. 

So I’ve given up on that too. 

Can the doctor help me? It’s spoiling my life. 

DEIDRE SAYS: Having a hairy back and shoulders is very common in some ethnicities, and runs in families.

Unless you have extreme hair growth all over your body – a very rare condition called Hypertrichosis – there’s nothing you can do medically. 

Try not to let it get you down. Lots of women actually like hirsute men, and see it as a very masculine trait.

But if you can’t embrace your hair, there are various hair removal treatments available, from waxing to lasers – although they can be costly and painful.

See my support pack, Unwanted Hair for more.