Hirsutism

November 20, 2020Females 2

Hirsutism is a condition in which a person develops an excessive hair growth. It affects 5-10% of women in child bearing age.

Women will often develop coarse, dark hair growth on the upper lip, chin, chest, abdomen or back, instead of the fine hair. With hirsutism , extra hair growth arises from excessive male hormone production mainly testasterone .Self care methods and effective treatments are present for this problem.

Symptoms –

Hirsutism is stiff or dark body hair , appearing on the body where women don’t commonly have hair primarily the face ,chest ,lower abdomen ,inner thighs and back.

When high androgen levels cause hirsutism ,other signs might develop over time, that process called virilization.

Virilization signs are –

• Deepening voice

• Balding

• Acne

• Decreased breast size

• Increased muscle mass

• Enlargement of the clitoris

Causes –

1) Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome –

This condition , often begins with puberty ,causes an imbalance of sex hormones.

2) Cushing Syndrome –

It occurs when your adrenal glands making too much cortisol or from taking Medications such as prednisolone over a long period.

3) Congenital adrenal hyperplasia –

It is characterized by abnormal production of steroid hormones , including cortisol and androgen ,by your adrenal glands.

4) Menopause –

Hormonal changes at menopause stage of women life may lead to increased facial hair.

5) High level of insulin –

It can stimulate the ovarian cells to produce androgen.

Excessive hair growth in women with normal androgen levels, regular menstrual periods and no other underlying conditions is called Idiopathic Hirsutism. It means that disorder has no identifiable cause.

6)Tumors –

Rarely ,an androgen secreting tumor in the ovaries or adrenal glands can cause hirsutism.

7) Medications –

Medications càuses hirsutism are –

• Glucocorticoids

• Testasterone

•Anabolic steroids

• Cyclosporine

• Minoxidil

• Danazol

• Phenytoin

Risk Factors –

• Family history- Family history of androgen imbalance makes females more prone to hirsutism.

• Obesity – Obese females releases more androgens especially testasterone which makes them more prone to hirsutism.

Complications –

It doesn’t cause any physical complication ,but it can be emotionally distressing.

Prevention –

Generally it is not preventable ,but losing weight if your over weight might help as it reduces androgen production if you loose weight.

Diagnosis –

Test that measure the amount of certain hormones in your blood , including testasterone or testasterone like hormones ,might help determine whether elevated androgen levels are causing your hirsutism.

Treatment –

1) Hirsutism can cause distress but some cosmetic and medical treatments might help decrease androgen levels or their impact on hair follicles . Effective treatment for mild hirsutism –

• Plucking

• Shaving

• Waxing

• Chemical hair softners

• Depilatory creams

2) Laser hair removal techniques use light to generate heat inside hair follicles ,which destroys their ability to develop hair.It is more effective but it doesn’t prevent the formation of new hair follicles.

3) Electrolysis also generate heat to prevent hair growth within the follicles but uses electricity instead of light. It is less popular due to side effects of small areas of scarring.

4) Medicines like combination birth control pills which contain both estrogen and progesterone ,can also counter the effects of androgen and decrease the production of testasterone in the ovaries . Effects usually visible in 6-12 months of taking medicine.

Ayurveda Perspective –

In Ayurveda it is called as Atiloma .

Various herbo- mineral preparation for treating this issue naturally without side effects are –

• Lomasatan lepa –

Application over face.

• Swaras of Arecanut with turmeric –