Published on December 09, 2022 | Written By Nasreen Julyha
Witnessing excessive hair growth on your face and body like a male?
The unwanted hair growth is because of a condition called Hirsutism. It is a common clinical condition that affects many women.
According to a study, approximately 5-10% of women get affected by unwanted hair growth.
During this condition, women tend to grow unwanted hair on their face, chest, lower stomach, inner thighs, back and different parts of their body.
The hair is dark and coarse, just like the growth seen in men.
In this article, you will find details about Hirsutism, its causes and symptoms.
So, let us dive right in!
Women may experience unwanted hair growth for a variety of reasons. Here, we have listed some of those common causes of Hirsutism.
One of the major causes of the growth of unwanted hair is hormonal imbalance.
When women produce a higher amount of male hormone (androgen) than the female hormone (estrogen), one could see unwanted hair growing on various parts of their body.
It is entirely normal for women to develop higher levels of androgen. The lower the production of male hormones, the lesser the unwanted hair growth.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is another common cause.
These are small cysts or fluid-filled sacs present in the ovaries. When a woman is undergoing PCOS, there can be an increase in hair growth.
This is because the male hormones are inclined to be higher during PCOS.
When there is a spike in insulin level, it will activate hormones such as IGF- 1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor).
When this hormone is activated, it can affect a woman by increasing androgen production, which in turn causes unwanted facial hair growth.
One could find obese women with insulin resistance have developed more facial hair. This is because obesity and high cholesterol level are among the factors that can cause Hirsutism.
Sometimes intake of any medications can also cause facial hair growth in women.
Drugs that contain Minoxidil, anabolic steroids, and danazol can change the level of hormones by causing an imbalance in women.
Cushing’s syndrome is a condition that one undergoes when there is a high level of the stress hormone called cortisol for a prolonged period.
While undergoing Cushing’s syndrome, women have a higher chance of developing unwanted hair on different body parts.
A tumour in your adrenal gland or your ovaries can also be the cause of Hirsutism.
A woman will find unwanted hair growth in different body parts, such as the face, chest, lower abdomen, hands, legs and back. These are all the usual symptoms of Hirsutism.
The other symptoms include:
Yes, you can get pregnant with Hirsutism. However, excessive hair growth does not affect fertility unless you face PCOS.
When one has regular periods, the cause of Hirsutism is likely genetic. But when there is an irregularity in periods, the reason might be the cause of PCOS.
No, Hirsutism does not always mean PCOS. But most of the time, people with excessive body hair tend to undergo PCOS
Hirsutism is a common condition experienced by women. The primary cause of the excessive growth of hair is hormonal imbalance and PCOS.
The symptoms of Hirsutism include excessive facial hair growth. Apart from that, it can also cause acne, deepening of the voice, and certain other conditions.
Treatments like laser hair removal can be used to eliminate unwanted facial hair permanently.
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