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Hirsutism is a medical condition that causes women to have excessive hair growth in a male pattern on their face, chest, and back.
This abnormal hair grown is usually caused by high levels of androgen hormones. If you have too much testosterone in your system due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), hirsutism is a common symptom.
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Doctors define hirsutism as excessive hair growth in women in a male pattern — on the face, chest, and back. Its cause is high levels of the male hormone, androgen.
All women naturally produce androgens. However, when androgen levels are elevated, fine hair follicles start to produce larger, darker hairs, which leads to hirsutism.
When women have more male hormones than normal, it's can be due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In addition to hirsutism, women with PCOS may have other symptoms, too.
Other PCOS symptoms include:
Sometimes, women who seem to have PCOS instead have an adrenal gland disorder called nonclassic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (NCCAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency.
People with NCCAH need to know about their diagnosis before trying to get pregnant. Your doctor may recommend prenatal genetic testing to see if your baby could have a more severe form of the disease.
Hirsutism is a common condition, affecting between 5% to 10% of women of all ages.
The cause of hirsutism is hyperandrogenism, or high levels of the male hormone, androgen (also known as testosterone). This increased androgen in women may be produced by the adrenal glands or due to an ovarian disease.
Factors affecting your likelihood of developing hirsutism include:
Hirsutism may indicate an underlying medical condition — such as PCOS or puberty disorders — that may affect fertility.
Because of hirsutism's cosmetic effects, it may have a huge psychosocial impact, especially on young women.
Although you can't prevent hirsutism, you can reduce your risk of developing it by losing weight if you're overweight. This is especially helpful if you have PCOS.
The main symptom of hirsutism is stiff or dark hair appearing on the body where women don't commonly have hair. Primarily, this includes the face, chest, lower abdomen, inner thighs, and back.
Light-colored hair, including blond and white hair, isn't considered hirsutism.
When hirsutism is caused by high androgen levels, other signs may develop over time. This process is called virilization.
Signs of virilization include:
Call your doctor if you experience excessive or rapid hair growth on your face or body, or signs of virilization, over a few months.
Your women's health provider, primary care provider, or pediatric gynecologist can diagnose hirsutism with a physical exam. They may also run tests, or refer you to a doctor who specializes in hormone disorders (endocrinologist) or skin problems (dermatologist).
Women who have visible symptoms of hirsutism but normal menstrual cycles and androgen levels may be diagnosed with idiopathic hirsutism. Idiopathic means there's no obvious cause.
Your doctor may order:
Hirsutism treatment often focuses on hair removal, rather than on what's causing the abnormal hair growth. Many women feel self-conscious, embarrassed, and anxious about hirsutism and PCOS facial hair.
But if hirsutism is a marker for another medical condition, your doctor will focus on treating the underlying condition.
Your doctor may prescribe:
If you have hirsutism and it bothers you — even if your case is mild — ask your provider for treatment options. Hair removal won't make hair thicker, but it can cause skin irritations.
Cosmetic hair management techniques include:
Weight loss may improve unwanted hair growth. People with hirsutism and PCOS should consider making lifestyle changes to improve their overall health.
By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2024-09-05.
