What is hirsutism?
Excessive hair growth in women, known as hirsutism, occurs in places where men typically have hair, like the neck, chest, stomach, lower back, buttocks, thighs, and face (upper lip, chin, and sideburns). Living with the situation is upsetting and embarrassing for some women.
Hyperandrogenemia, or an excess of male hormones (androgens) in a woman’s body, is the cause of hyperandrogenism.Although in much smaller quantities, testosterone, the primary androgen hormone that causes men to develop secondary sexual traits, can also be produced in a female body. The ovaries and adrenal glands produce very small amounts of androstenedione and DHEA-S, two additional androgen hormones.
One of the primary clinical indicators of hyperandrogenism is hirsutism, which may also include oily skin, acne, deepening of the voice, and irregular or absent periods.
What are the causes of hirsutism?
An excess of male hormones (testosterone, androstenedione, and DHEA-S) in a woman’s body results in hirsutism. Other hyperandrogenism symptoms like acne, deep voice, loss of scalp hair, and clitoris enlargement may accompany it.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which frequently results in irregular and/or absent periods, is the most common cause of hirsutism. Idiopathic hirsutism is a type of hirsutism that can also be genetic and run in families.Women from the Middle East, South Asia, and the Mediterranean are more likely to have it.
Other reasons could be:
- Cushing’s syndrome – excessive production of androgen hormones by adrenal gland tumour or hyperplasia
- Congenital adrenal hyperplasia – an inherited condition, which affects the adrenal glands
- Medications – anabolic steroids, glucocorticoids, testosterone, DHEA, danazol, cyclosporine, minoxidil, phenytoin, etc.
What is the treatment for hirsutism?
The main treatments include:
- Medications – oral contraceptive pills suppress the production of androgen hormones in the ovaries, and anti-androgens block the effect of excessive androgen at the hair follicle in the skin
- Eflornithine cream – a non-hormonal prescription cream to slow down the growth of facial hair
- Specialist hair removal – electrolysis, where electricity is used to destroy the hair follicles, and laser hair removal, where beams of light are used to destroy hair
- Home hair removal methods – (read more below)
The best results in the control of hirsutism are achieved with the combination of medical treatment and concurrent mechanical removal of unwanted hairs. The process of achieving reasonable good control is very slow and takes years.
What are the home hair removal techniques?
As home hair removal techniques are inexpensive, they will need to be carried out on a regular basis. The main ones are:
- Shaving
- Bleaching
- Waxing, plucking or threading
- Use of Epilators