Hirsutism is a condition of unwanted, male-pattern hair growth in women. Hirsutism results in excessive amounts of dark, course hair on body areas where men typically grow hair on the face, chest and back.
SYMPTOMSÂ
The main symptom of hirsutism is unwanted hair growth on a woman’s face, chest, and back. This thick, dark hair is different from the normal, fine baby hair on other parts of the body.
Other symptoms of hirsutism may include:
acne
abnormal menstrual periods
deepening of the voice
increased muscle mass
decreased breast size
Causes
At puberty, a girl’s ovaries begin to produce a mix of female and male sex hormones, causing hair to grow in the armpits and pubic area. Hirsutism can occur if the mix becomes unbalanced with too high a proportion of male sex hormones (androgens).
Hirsutism can be caused by:
Polycystic ovary syndrome. This most common cause of hirsutism is caused by an imbalance of sex hormones that can result in irregular periods, obesity, infertility and sometimes multiple cysts on your ovaries.
Cushing’s syndrome. This occurs when your body is exposed to high levels of the hormone cortisol. It can develop from your adrenal glands making too much cortisol or from taking medications such as prednisone over a long period.
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia. This inherited condition is characterized by abnormal production of steroid hormones, cortisol and androgen, by your adrenal glands.
Tumors. Rarely, an androgen-secreting tumor in the ovaries or adrenal glands can cause hirsutism.
Medications. Some medications can cause hirsutism. These include danazol, which is used to treat women with endometriosis; systemic corticosteroids and fluoxetine (Prozac) for depression.
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