Hirsutism

Hirsutism is exorbitant hair growth in certain areas of a woman's face and body, such as the mustache and beard area. Hirsutism is rarely caused by a severe illness. It is a signs rather than a disease and may be a sign of a more harsh medical indication, specially if it develops well after puberty. Hirsutism in women means that hair follicles are being over-stimulated by testosterone or other androgen hormones. Androgens are the dominant sex hormones in men. In many cases, hirsutism may be as a outcome of an underlying medical disorder. This can easily be ruled out with a medical history and few simple blood tests. It also can lead from long-term use of certain medications, involving the following steroid hormones: cyclosporin, phenytoin, minoxidil, penicillamine, as well as some dermatology medications that commonly are combined with ultraviolet light treatments.

Women having mild hirsutism and regular periods rarely have any underlying serious medical complication. A medical complication may be present if hirsutism is severe, if it is accompanied by irregular periods or if there are other features to suggest an increase in male hormones, such as baldness or deepening of the voice.

Hirsutism also appears to run in families. The austerity of hirsutism does not correlate with the level of increased circulating androgens because of individual differences in androgen sensitivity of the hair follicle. Hirsutism only strikes women, since the rising of androgens causes a male pattern of body hair, particularly in locations where women normally do not develop terminal hair within their puberty. The clinical term for excessive hair growth that affect both men and women is hypertrichosis. Testosterone is the most important circulating androgen due to of its comparatively high plasma concentration and greater potency at the target organ level. Rarely, the reason of hirsutism may be an androgen-secreting tumor in the ovaries or adrenal glands.

Clinical treatments for the conservancy of hirsutism do not eliminate body hair, but involve the reduction of hyperandrogenism, preventing the development of course terminal hair from the thin, usually unnoticeable velous hair. A compound of self-care and medical therapies provides effective treatment for many women with hirsutism.

Causes of Hirsutism

The cause of hirsutism can be either an increased point of androgens or an oversensitivity of hair follicles to androgens. Male hormones such as testosterone stimulate hair growth, increase size and severe the pigmentation of hair. Hirsutism can also be caused by hair follicles which are excessively sensitive to male hormones. Doctors don't know why this happens. Few medicines can cause hirsutism. These medicines involve birth control pills, hormones and anabolic steroids. Rarely, the reason of hirsutism may be an androgen-secreting tumor in the ovaries or adrenal glands.

Common causes and risk factors of Hirsutism:

Polycystic ovary syndrome.
An increased level of androgens.
Certain medications.
Tumors in the ovaries or adrenal gland.
Family members with hirsutism.

Signs and Symptoms of Hirsutism

Excessive androgen related with hirsutism can also contribute to the development of acne, that may occur on the face, chest and upper-back. Women suffering from hirsutism have dark, thick hair on their face, chest, abdomen and back. This thick, dark hair is dissimilar from the hair that some women have on their upper lip, chin, breasts or stomach, or the fine "baby" hair all over their body. More progressed hirsutism will cause mature hair to grow on the upper back, shoulders, sternum and upper abdomen. It most usually begins during puberty.

Sign and symptoms may include the following :

A deepening voice.
Decreased breast size.
Abnormal or absent menstrual periods.
High blood pressure.
Significant growth of hair that is mature on the upper lip, chin, sideburn area, around the nipples or lower abdomen.
Male-pattern baldness.

Treatment for Hirsutism

Many women with undesired hair seek methods of hair removal to control the appearance of hirsutism. There is also a medicine made particularly to slow down the growth of facial hair. It is a prescription cream that you apply to the influenced skin on your face and chin. This medicine may commence to work as soon as 4 to 8 weeks after you begin treatment. For all women with hirsutism, cosmetic treatments and medical treatments which reduce the levels of androgens or their concussion on hair follicles can be helpful. Laser hair removal is newer than electrolysis. Lasers use a especial light wave that is absorbed by dark hairs and damages the hair follicle. Laser therapies have not been in use long enough for hirsutism to fully demarcate how permanent the hair destruction is.

Treatment may include:

Epilady removes the hair by a combined cut and pull.
Bleaching makes the excesexcess sive hair less obvious.
Birth control pills or other hormonal contraceptives, that have the hormones estrogen and progestin, treat hirsutism by inhibiting androgen production by your ovaries.
The most commonly used anti-androgen for treating hirsutism is spironolactone (Aldactone).
Laser therapy is useful for facial hair removal in certain skin types.

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