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What is Hirsutism?
Hirsutism is a condition that affects women and causes excess hair to grow on the face, chest, abdomen and back. This hair is different from the usual fine hair that many women have in these places, instead, the hair is usually dark, thick and very visible to the eye.
This condition is caused by an excess of (or sensitivity to) male hormones in the body, known as androgens. Hirsutism is therefore brought on by several other conditions:
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) - an imbalance of hormones causes excess cysts to develop in a woman's ovaries, which then produces excess androgens. This is the most common cause of hirsutism.
- Cushing's Syndrome - a disruption in the balance of the body's sex hormones caused by exposure to high levels of the chemical cortisol (a steroid hormone involved in the body's response to stress). This syndrome can occur when the adrenal glands overproduce cortisol or when a person takes a cortisol-like medication over a long period of time.
- Tumor - tumors in the ovaries or adrenal glands may cause the production of excess androgens. However, this is a rare cause of hirsutism.
- Medications - some medications can raise the body's androgen levels. One drug known to do this is Danazol, which is used to treat endometriosis.
- No known cause - sometimes there is no identifiable cause found in the woman for her hirsutism. Since androgen levels are normal, is it thought a sensitivity to these male hormones must be the cause of the excess hair.
Women from certain ethnic groups - e.g., Middle Eastern, South Asian and Mediterranean - are more prone to developing hirsutism.
Is there a medication I can take to help me?
Thankfully, there are several types of medication your physician can prescribe to help you. First, the cause of your excess hair will need to be determined.
- If the cause of your hirsutism is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, you may be prescribed a birth control pill which decreases androgen levels related to the cysts on your ovaries. This can also be taken along with other anti-androgen medications if necessary. If obesity has been linked to the cause of your PCOS, losing weight might help decrease excess hair production, too.
- If your physician wishes to decrease your body's production of androgens for other reasons, there are common anti-androgen medications they might prescribe such as Spironolactone. Anti-androgens take roughly 3 to 6 months to work and will impact the amount of new hair that grows - not remove existing hairs.
- If you wish to stop excess hair production without taking either birth control pills or anti-androgens, a prescription cream known as Vaniqa will stop excess hair from being produced by directly affecting hair growth. However, because of its price and application directions, many women only use this cream to combat facial hair. Vaniqa can be applied twice a day to the affected area and takes up to two months for results to be seen. Discontinuing use results in the return of hair growth after 8 weeks.
What can I do to get rid of my existing hair?
Since the medications available generally prevent more excess hair from growing, they fail to treat areas that are already affected by dark, coarse hair. Many women look for alternative ways to get rid of this hair. These are the most popular solutions:
- Everyday hair-removal methods - shaving, using depilatories, plucking and waxing are all common hair removal methods. However, many women are disappointed with the results of these as they are only temporary, may irritate sensitive areas such as the face and may cause obvious stubble to appear in these areas.
- Bleaching - some women try bleaching their darker hair to a fairer color, hoping it will become less noticeable against their skin complexion. This is not effective for every skin type.
- Electrolysis - This is considered a 'permanent' hair removal method since it attempts to destroy hair follicles so that hair never grows again. A tiny needle is inserted into each follicle and a pulse of electric current is applied to kill it. Several sessions carried out by a qualified practitioner may be needed to ensure each follicle is destroyed. This can be a time-consuming and sometimes painful procedure. There is also the risk of incurring scars where the needle is inserted.
- Laser treatment - This is becoming a more popular choice among women seeking permanent hair reduction. Laser treatment uses a laser beam to penetrate the hair and damage and destroy the hair follicle. It has its best effects on women with dark hair and fair skin, making it an effective method for many women with hirsutism. It is recommended that a series of initial sessions (5-8) is undertaken, followed by yearly maintenance sessions. There is a risk of developing dark spots or of burning or scaring if laser treatment is not carried out by a trained professional. If you're looking for Denver laser hair removal, make sure you find a reliable specialist or spa that will carry out the procedure safely and effectively.
Rachel Clarkson
Interested in Denver Smart Lipo or Colorado Smart Lipo?
http://www.aspenlaserspa.com
Hirsutism is a condition that affects women and causes excess hair to grow on the face, chest, abdomen and back. This hair is different from the usual fine hair that many women have in these places, instead, the hair is usually dark, thick and very visible to the eye.
This condition is caused by an excess of (or sensitivity to) male hormones in the body, known as androgens. Hirsutism is therefore brought on by several other conditions:
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) - an imbalance of hormones causes excess cysts to develop in a woman's ovaries, which then produces excess androgens. This is the most common cause of hirsutism.
- Cushing's Syndrome - a disruption in the balance of the body's sex hormones caused by exposure to high levels of the chemical cortisol (a steroid hormone involved in the body's response to stress). This syndrome can occur when the adrenal glands overproduce cortisol or when a person takes a cortisol-like medication over a long period of time.
- Tumor - tumors in the ovaries or adrenal glands may cause the production of excess androgens. However, this is a rare cause of hirsutism.
- Medications - some medications can raise the body's androgen levels. One drug known to do this is Danazol, which is used to treat endometriosis.
- No known cause - sometimes there is no identifiable cause found in the woman for her hirsutism. Since androgen levels are normal, is it thought a sensitivity to these male hormones must be the cause of the excess hair.
Women from certain ethnic groups - e.g., Middle Eastern, South Asian and Mediterranean - are more prone to developing hirsutism.
Is there a medication I can take to help me?
Thankfully, there are several types of medication your physician can prescribe to help you. First, the cause of your excess hair will need to be determined.
- If the cause of your hirsutism is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, you may be prescribed a birth control pill which decreases androgen levels related to the cysts on your ovaries. This can also be taken along with other anti-androgen medications if necessary. If obesity has been linked to the cause of your PCOS, losing weight might help decrease excess hair production, too.
- If your physician wishes to decrease your body's production of androgens for other reasons, there are common anti-androgen medications they might prescribe such as Spironolactone. Anti-androgens take roughly 3 to 6 months to work and will impact the amount of new hair that grows - not remove existing hairs.
- If you wish to stop excess hair production without taking either birth control pills or anti-androgens, a prescription cream known as Vaniqa will stop excess hair from being produced by directly affecting hair growth. However, because of its price and application directions, many women only use this cream to combat facial hair. Vaniqa can be applied twice a day to the affected area and takes up to two months for results to be seen. Discontinuing use results in the return of hair growth after 8 weeks.
What can I do to get rid of my existing hair?
Since the medications available generally prevent more excess hair from growing, they fail to treat areas that are already affected by dark, coarse hair. Many women look for alternative ways to get rid of this hair. These are the most popular solutions:
- Everyday hair-removal methods - shaving, using depilatories, plucking and waxing are all common hair removal methods. However, many women are disappointed with the results of these as they are only temporary, may irritate sensitive areas such as the face and may cause obvious stubble to appear in these areas.
- Bleaching - some women try bleaching their darker hair to a fairer color, hoping it will become less noticeable against their skin complexion. This is not effective for every skin type.
- Electrolysis - This is considered a 'permanent' hair removal method since it attempts to destroy hair follicles so that hair never grows again. A tiny needle is inserted into each follicle and a pulse of electric current is applied to kill it. Several sessions carried out by a qualified practitioner may be needed to ensure each follicle is destroyed. This can be a time-consuming and sometimes painful procedure. There is also the risk of incurring scars where the needle is inserted.
- Laser treatment - This is becoming a more popular choice among women seeking permanent hair reduction. Laser treatment uses a laser beam to penetrate the hair and damage and destroy the hair follicle. It has its best effects on women with dark hair and fair skin, making it an effective method for many women with hirsutism. It is recommended that a series of initial sessions (5-8) is undertaken, followed by yearly maintenance sessions. There is a risk of developing dark spots or of burning or scaring if laser treatment is not carried out by a trained professional. If you're looking for Denver laser hair removal, make sure you find a reliable specialist or spa that will carry out the procedure safely and effectively.
Rachel Clarkson
Interested in Denver Smart Lipo or Colorado Smart Lipo?
http://www.aspenlaserspa.com