Hirsutism

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Hirsutism" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Hirsutism is excessive body hair on parts of the body where hair is normally absent or minimal. The word is from early 17th century: from Latin hirsutus meaning "hairy".^[2] It usually refers to a male pattern of hair growth in a female that may be a sign of a more serious medical condition,^[3] especially if it develops well after puberty.^[4] Cultural stigma against hirsutism can cause much psychological distress and social difficulty.^[5] Discrimination based on facial hirsutism often leads to the avoidance of social situations and to symptoms of anxiety and depression.^[6]

Hirsutism is usually the result of an underlying endocrine imbalance, which may be adrenal, ovarian, or central.^[7] It can be caused by increased levels of androgen hormones. The amount and location of the hair is measured by a Ferriman-Gallwey score. It is different from hypertrichosis, which is excessive hair growth anywhere on the body.^[3]

Treatments may include certain birth control pills, antiandrogens, or insulin sensitizers.^[1]

Hirsutism affects between 5 and 15% of women across all ethnic backgrounds.^[8] Depending on the definition and the underlying data, approximately 40% of women have some degree of facial hair.^[9] About 10 to 15% of cases of hirsutism are idiopathic with no known cause.^[10]