What Is Hormonal Hirsutism?

A common disorder that results in excessive hair growth is hormonal hirsutism. It is primarily seen in women and those whose gender at birth is designated feminine (AFAB). In place of the fine hair, popularly referred to as “peach fuzz,” that typically grows in certain locations. You could develop coarse, dark hair on your chin, upper lip, chest, belly, or back. Although hormonal hirsutism can be distressing, it is curable.

What Effects Does Hormonal Hirsutism Have on My Body?

Your physical health is unaffected by hormonal hirsutism. However, it can impact you mentally and psychosocially. How the community and social groups affect your ideas and feelings and how you see yourself and your actions. You might feel depressed, anxious, or under emotional stress.

What Signs Does Hormonal Hirsutism Exhibit?

Dark hair growth is the predominant sign of  hormonal hirsutism.

Virilization is another hirsutism sign. Virilization is a situation during which you develop secondary sex traits of men and individuals AMAB. When the androgen levels are high, virilization happens.

A class of sex hormones known as androgens aids in puberty and physical maturation in humans. More androgens are produced by men and individuals AMAB than by women and individuals AFAB. You could experience the following secondary sex traits after virilization:

• Stronger voice
• Shrinkage of the breasts.
• Accelerated muscle growth
• Clitoris expansion (clitoromegaly).
• Heightened sex desire.

What Causes Hormonal Hirsutism?

Hirsutism frequently lacks a recognized etiology. However, hirsutism can result from several disorders, such as:

The generation of androgens naturally: All people possess androgens; however, men and AMAB individuals produce the most of them. A person with AFAB may experience hirsutism if they have high androgen concentrations or more responsive hair follicles.

Ovarian polycystic syndrome (PCOS): Women and people with AFAB who have PCOS create excessive androgens. Other signs of PCOS comprise acne, irregular periods, diabetes, weight gain, and issues with conception.

Postmenopause: The body’s hormonal adjustments following menopause may cause a rise in facial hair, such as a whisker or mustache.

Cushing’s syndrome: Cortisol, a hormone that can alter the group of organs that control your hair, skin, and nails, overproduces in the body and cause Cushing’s syndrome. Cushing’s syndrome can manifest as rapid facial weight gain, slow wound healing, increased blood pressure, and diabetes.

Other circumstances: You may be experiencing a more serious issue if hirsutism appears quickly and is accompanied by symptoms like a deeper tone, acne, or accelerated muscular development. An ovarian or adrenal gland condition is like a tumor on your ovaries or adrenal glands that produce androgen and congenital adrenal hyperplasia, which may be more severe.

Medications: Several drugs, including anabolic steroids, cyclosporine, minoxidil, testosterone, danazol, and phenytoin, can result in hirsutism.

How Is Hormonal Hirsutism Identified?

The healthcare physician will perform a physical examination to ascertain the amount of unusual hair growth. They will also look for further physical indicators like acne along with hair growth. The degree of your hirsutism may be determined using the Ferriman-Gallwey scale after your doctor has made the diagnosis.

The upper lip, chest, upper arms, upper abdomen, lower abdomen, thighs, upper back, and lower back and butt are the nine body regions that the Ferriman-Gallwey scale evaluates. Depending on hair growth, these locations earn a score between 0 and 4. A low score indicates minor hirsutism, while a high number indicates more severe hirsutism.

The healthcare professional will total the scores after inspecting each region. If this total score of fewer than 8 is typical for those who are Black or white. A total score below 9 or 10 is typical for Hispanic, Mediterranean, or Middle Eastern people. And a total score below 2 is typical for Asians.

What Examinations Will Be Used to Identify Hormonal Hirsutism?

Your doctor may run several tests to see if you develop hirsutism, including:

• Hormone levels can be measured using blood testing.
• Use ultrasound to check your uterus and ovaries.
• X-rays assess your adrenal glands and ovaries to rule out other disorders.

Medical Care for Hirsutism

The heat produced by laser hair removal methods inside hair follicles renders them incapable of producing new hair. Some skin types respond better to laser treatment than others, although the procedure does not stop the growth of fresh hair follicles. It is time-consuming and expensive, and laser therapy calls for the expertise of a skilled expert, like a plastic surgeon or a dermatologist. However, it has a more lasting impact than shaving, creams, or waxing.

Electrolysis also produces heat, although it uses electricity rather than light to stop hair development within the follicles. Due to its propensity to leave minor areas of scarring, electrolysis has lost some popularity in favor of laser therapy. Some medications can alter the effects of androgens on your skin and body.

Birth control combination tablets can also block the impact of androgens and lessen the amount of testosterone produced in the ovaries by containing progesterone and estrogen. After continuously utilizing birth control tablets for six to twelve months, hirsutism may improve. Anti-androgen medications should not be taken when pregnant. A doctor most frequently prescribes Aldactone. However, there are other options.

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Are There Any Negative Effects of The Medications?

While hair removal may potentially irritate the skin and leave scars, some cosmetic procedures may need to be repeated to maintain their effectiveness. A wide variety of oral contraceptive pill drugs are available, and different kinds will work best for different persons if hirsutism is a sign of polycystic ovary syndrome.

Additionally, certain patients may not be eligible for the cyproterone or contraceptive pill due to its potential to increase blood clot risk. Blood potassium levels may be impacted by spironolactone, which can also result in low blood pressure. In addition, using spironolactone, cyproterone, or finasteride while considering pregnancy is not advised because they may affect the unborn child.

Conclusion

It would be best if you continued treatment for hirsutism. None of the therapies entirely remove the hair, but they do work to slow down your hair’s growth and reduce the amount of undesired hair. If you discover a treatment that works, you can continue to utilize it.