While most women have some body hair, even on their faces, chests, abdomens and backs, the hair is usually a light “peach fuzz” variety. Excessive amounts of dark, coarse hair growing in these places can indicate a condition called hirsutism. Sex hormones, known as androgens, might lead to this condition of male-patterned hair growth in women. While you can often remove the unwanted hairs at home, it is important to talk to your doctor about hirsutism so she can perform an evaluation to check for underlying medical conditions and recommend medical therapies that can treat the condition.
Significance
Finding out what causes the hirsutism can be difficult, according to the Medline Plus website, which states that doctors often cannot identify an exact reason for hirsutism. The condition tends to run in families, with the American Academy of Family Physicians noting that women from certain ethnic groups, including Middle Eastern, South Asian and Mediterranean, are often prone to hirsutism .
Certain medical conditions can also cause high levels of androgens and hirsutism, including Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or PCOS, which occurs when cysts form in a woman’s ovaries because of imbalanced hormonal levels, and tumors or cancer of the ovaries or adrenal glands. Cushing’s Syndrome, which results from excessive exposure to the stress hormone cortisol, can also lead to unwanted, excessive hair growth.
Effects
In addition to the pattern of unwanted, excessive hair growth, women with hirsutism might also suffer from acne, irregular or absent menstrual periods, a deepening voice, increased muscle mass and a decrease in breast size. If the excessive hair growth results from PCOS, you might also have difficulties getting pregnant.
Identification
To determine the causes of your excessive hair growth so that he can formulate a treatment plan, your doctor will usually use your medical history as well as findings from a physical exam and blood tests. The blood tests can determine whether your hirsutism is a result of high androgen levels by measuring the amounts of hormones found in your blood.
Considerations
Some medications, especially ones containing hormones, can also cause hirsutism. Among the medications that increase your risk of developing the condition is danazol, which doctors prescribe to treat women with endometriosis, a condition in which cells similar to those lining your uterus start to grow outside of the uterine cavity.
Prevention/Solution
To control the growth of unwanted hair, you can use a combination of self-care and medical therapies. The American Academy of Family Physicians suggests losing some weight if you are overweight since this can often decrease the amounts of androgens in your body. In addition to shaving, waxing and plucking, you might also consider using more permanent hair removal methods like laser or electrolysis. If the hirsutism results from excess hormone levels, your doctor might prescribe hormonal birth control or anti-androgen medications to decrease androgen levels.
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