While the amount of body hair can vary from woman to woman, females don't typically grow dark, coarse on the lips, chin and other areas of the face, notes Penn State Hershey. Excessive amounts of facial hair on women is called hirsutism. Hirsutism is usually due to the overproduction of male hormones known as androgens. Certain herbal remedies may help prevent or diminish facial hair in women. Ask your health care provider about the benefits of herbs for hirsutism.
Black Cohosh
Black cohosh is often used in place of hormonal therapy to relieve menopausal symptoms that can include hair loss. Black cohosh may help treat hirsutism due to its antiandrogenic effects. Approximately 50 percent of women who have mild hirsutism have abnormally high levels of androgens or male hormones, reports the Mayo Clinic. The recommended dosage of black cohosh for hirsutism is about 30 mg two times per day. Check with your health care provider about the usefulness of black cohosh in decreasing your facial hair.
Saw Palmetto
Saw palmetto is used to treat a variety of conditions, including hair loss and hormonal imbalances, reports the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Saw palmetto has ant-androgenic properties and is sometimes mentioned as an herbal remedy for PCOS. A twice-daily dose of 160 mg of saw palmetto is suggested for hirsutism. As always, check with your health practitioner before using herbal remedies for medical conditions.
Chaste Tree
Chaste tree, or chasteberry, is sometimes used to treat facial hair and other symptoms of PCOS. Chaste tree may help decrease unwanted hair growth in women due to its anti-androgenic effects, reports the UMMC. The suggested daily dosage is 20 to 40 mg. Ask your health care provider about the pros and cons of taking chaste tree and other herbs to treat hirsutism.
Spearmint
Women with hirsutism may benefit from drinking spearmint tea, reports the UMMC. A Turkish study published in May 2007 in the journal Phyotherapy Research suggests that spearmint can be a viable herbal alternative to anti-androgenic treatment for mild cases of hirsutism. The research involved 21 female volunteers with hirsutism who drank 1 cup of spearmint tea twice daily for 5 days. The study was headed by M. Akdogan of the Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Hirsutism
- MayoClinic.com: Black Cohosh
- Penn State Hershey: Excessive or Unwanted Facial Hair in Women
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Hirsutism
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Saw Palmetto
- "Phytotherapy Research"; Effect of Spearmint (Mentha spicata Labiatae) Teas on Androgen Levels in Women with Hirsutism; M. Akdogan et al; May 2007
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