What is considered excessive hair growth or hirsutism in women and what causes it?
Facial Hirsutism in Women A. Hirsutism is a condition in which too much hair grows on the face or body (changing from vellus hair to terminal hair) as compared to what might be average for a person’s age and ethnicity. Hirsutism-excessive terminal hair can be caused by abnormally high levels of male sex hormones called androgens (primarily testosterone and its derivatives). Hirsutism can be treated and control the hormone level, but hair will remain and should be treated by permanent hair removal – Electrolysis. The following also are some of the conditions that may increase a woman’s normally low levels of male hormone and consequently mild increase of hair thickness, amount, density, and coarseness • Obesity • Heredity/genetics • Certain medications including birth control pills, hormones and anabolic steroids • Polycystic ovary syndrome • Cushing’s syndrome and Cushing’s disease • Tumors in the ovaries or adrenal gland, formed when abnormal cells grow out of control and clump togeth
