What is Alopecia Hirsutism?
Hirsutism is the excessive growth of hair (thicker, darker and in greater quantity). Women normally have facial hair which is usually fine (“peach fuzz”) and often not noticeable. When these hairs masculinize, or, turn into male terminal hairs, they become thicker, darker, and grow longer and faster. This gives the impression that there is more hair, when it fact, it is just existing hair follicles responding to disease or some hormonal imbalance. Once a hair turns terminal it will remain terminal. In women, hirsutism is most common on the forearms, face, chest, and legs but can occur anywhere. In men, to be diagnosed with hirsutism, the amount of hair has to be exceptionally large because men have higher testosterone levels, a male hormone that causes hair to turn into terminal hairs sometime during adolescence. Women too, can be hirsute due to hereditary factors, but typically when a woman suddenly begins to develop signs of hirsutism that was not present in childhood, there is some
