Heredity and hormones are the main underlying sources of facial hair growth in women. Disorders will cause hormonal imbalances and these disorders could be genetic. You will most likely be as hairy as your parents, and knowing your family history of conditions related to hormonal facial hair growth is very important.
Types of Hair
Many women are born with vellus hair. This type of hair is short, fine and light, and often referred to as "peach fuzz." As puberty hits, hair on various parts of the body will become terminal hair. This hair is longer, darker and course. The common areas of the terminal hair is the pubic region and the armpits. Boys will develop this hair on the chest, back and face as they get older. Depending on genetics, some will develop terminal hair more quickly and be much hairier then others.
Testosterone
This hormone is produced by men and women. Men produce testosterone in the testes and women produce it in the ovaries and the adrenal glands. When boys hit puberty, they have a sudden increase of testosterone, which causes the vellus hair to change into terminal hair, according to TeenHealth. Girls do not produce as much testosterone as boys, and because of this their vellus hair will not change except around the sexual organs.
Hirsutism
Androgen is a hormone grouped with testosterone, that women produce in the adrenal glands and ovaries. An overproduction of androgen will cause a women to have increased facial hair. This excess hormone being produced may cause a condition called hirsutism, according to MayoClinic.com. Hirsutism is the excess of terminal body hair on women in places that men normally produce hair. Certain conditions may cause the hormonal imbalance leading to hirsutism, but one of the most common is polycystic ovary syndrome.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
The main cause of polycystic ovary syndrome is an imbalance of hormones. Women are producing more androgen then normal in the ovaries. According to Womenshealth website, insulin may be linked to the cause of overproduction of androgen. Insulin is a hormone in the body that breaks down starches, sugars and other sources of food into energy, and the body will use it or store it for later. Women with PCOS have problems using the insulin and the excess causes increased androgen production.
Treatment
Hormonal treatment may be necessary if you find the source of the hair growth to be caused by androgen overproduction. Birth control pills help with PCOS, by providing an anti-androgenic progesterone medication that balances the hormones. According to DermNet NZ, anti-androgen medication prevents the release of the hormone, gonadotrophin, which is produced in the pituitary gland. Without this hormone being released, it in turn lowers the amount of androgen being produced in the ovaries.
Member Comments