What is hirsutism?
It is a condition wherein females grow abnormal, unwanted hair on the areas where males normally grow hair that is back, chest and face. Furthermore, this male-pattern growth of hair in female tends to be pigmented and stiff. In addition to this, the hair amount greatly depends upon the genetic makeup. The condition can erupt due to abnormal growth of male hormones, androgens. The condition can also be inherited. Combination of medical therapies and self-care measure can help women with the condition.
What are the symptoms of hirsutism?
Hirsutism is the hair growth on the body areas of women where normally they do not have hairs; such as back, chest and face. When abnormal levels of androgen trigger the condition, other symptoms can develop gradually, a process known as virilization. Symptoms of virilization are:
- Clitoris enlargement.
- Reduced breast size.
- Acne.
- Balding.
- Deepening voice.
What causes hirsutism?
Normally, at puberty, the ovaries of female make a mix of male and female sex hormones. Such causes the hair growth in their public area and armpits. The condition tends to occur when this mix gets unbalanced with extreme high quantity of male sex hormones known as androgen. Furthermore, hirsutism can be triggered by:
- Cushing’s syndrome.
- Polycystic ovary syndrome.
- Tumors.
- Congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
- Certain medications.
At times, the condition can strike with no certain reason.
What are the risk factors of hisutism?
Certain factors can contribute in the likelihood of experiencing hirsutism. Such include:
- Ancestry: females of South Asian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean ancestry have greater chances to experience hirsutism without a certain reason as compared to other females.
- Family history: Some condition known to cause hirsutism for example congenital adrenal hyperplasia is hereditary.
What are the potential complications of hirsutism?
At times, the condition gets emotionally distressing. Even though, the condition does not tend to cause any physical complication, however its causal trigger of hormonal imbalance does cause problems. In case a female has irregular menstrual cycle and hirsutism, she may have polycystic ovary syndrome that can slow down fertility. However, females taking certain drugs for treating hirsutism must avoid getting pregnant due to the chances of birth defects.
How is hirsutism diagnosed?
Specific tests that are conducted for measuring the levels of some hormones in the blood such as testosterone can also help find out whether or not hirsutism is triggered by abnormal levels of androgen. In case of being elevates, the doctor can suggest a CT scan or ultrasound in order to see the adrenal glands and ovaries for cysts and tumors.
How is hirsutism treated?
Mostly, its treatment involves the combination of medications, hair-removal therapies and self-care methods.
- Medications: oral contraceptives, anti-androgens and topical cream.
- Hair-removal procedures: electrolysis and laser therapy.
Is hirsutism preventable?
Generally speaking, the condition, hirsutism is not preventable. However, in case of suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome, then controlling obesity would greatly help reducing your chances of developing hirsutism.
By : Natural Health News
