Excessive growth of hair on the body is called hirsutism. The condition itself is not a serious medical problem, though it can signal underlying issues that are important to get checked out. And in any case, hair overgrowth can be a disturbing issue for women because they feel it is unfeminine.
Basics
Humans have two kinds of hair on their bodies. Vellus hair is short and fine. In most women, this type of hair grows on the face, chest and back, according to KidsHealth.org. Terminal hair is darker, longer and coarser. It is the kind of hair found on the head and, in women, in the pubic area and under the arms. When this type of hair begins to grow on a woman in the same areas where it normally grows on men, such as on the face, chest and abdomen, the condition is called hirsutism. In the United States, as many as 10 percent of women have hirsutism to some degree, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Cause
Sometimes excess body hair in women stems from hormonal issues--specifically, excess androgens. Other times--about half of hirsutism cases--androgen levels are normal, according to the Mayo Clinic. When no cause can be identified, the excess hair growth is called idiopathic hirsutism. People of certain ethnicities, according to the Mayo Clinic, are more prone to such hair growth than others.
Warning
Excess body hair in women can be a marker of relatively serious health conditions. The most common hormonal cause of hirsutism, according to the Mayo Clinic, is polycystic ovarian syndrome. It involves elevated androgen levels, according to the National Women's Health Information Center, and is associated with infertility, obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Cushing's syndrome, caused by excessive exposure to the hormone cortisol, can also lead to hirsutism, along with other symptoms such as weakened bones and poor skin healing, according to the National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service. Tumors also cause some cases of excessive hair growth in women.
Removal
The excessive hair of hirsutism is amenable to the same home removal methods as any other hair. For short-term removal, lasting one to three days, shaving is an option. For removal that lasts longer, you can try plucking; which keeps hair away for three to eight weeks; waxing, which lasts three to six weeks; or chemical depilatories, which last a few days to two weeks, according to KidsHealth.org. Laser treatment and electrolysis, which are performed by professionals, cost more but are permanent or semi-permanent hair removal methods--though they may have to be repeated several times for maximum effectiveness.
Medical Treatment
If your excess hair growth can be traced to a hormonal issue, medical treatment may help. Anti-androgen medications, particularly spironolactone, can treat hormone imbalance by preventing androgens from attaching to receptors in the body, according to the Mayo Clinic. Oral contraceptives--birth control pills--can block androgen production in the ovaries. And doctors sometimes prescribe the topical cream eflornithine to help slow new growth of facial hair.
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