Hirsutism is a disorder marked by excessive hair growth, which is most obvious on regions of the body that are typically found on men, such as the face, back, and chest. Hirsutism typically results from an abnormally high level of androgens (testosterone) in the blood. Even if it’s not always the case, PCOS frequently has a connection to it. Increased hair regrowth following laser hair removal operations might be caused by a hormonal imbalance. Alternately, laser hair removal could get rid of existing hair, but too much testosterone will encourage regrowth right away.
Hirsutism is defined as the excessive development of coarse, black hair on the face, back, and stomach in females. While hirsutism may result from a drug side effect, it is typically brought on by an overabundance of androgens in the bloodstream, which causes a hormonal imbalance. The hormonal imbalance that leads to hirsutism can have many different reasons, but PCOS is frequently one of them. Even though PCOS accounts for 70% of hair loss cases, excessive hair growth by itself cannot identify the condition.
Therapy might be more difficult because it’s not always clear what causes hirsutism. However, the development of hirsutism has been linked to several diseases. The following are a few of the causes:
A frequent and bothersome illness that affects many women is hirsutism, or excessive face or body hair. Whether inherited or brought on by medication, guys’ excessive levels of male hormones and hair growth are linked to women. Currently, laser hair removal is the most efficient way to get rid of dark hair on various parts of the body and face. For women who have hormonal abnormalities, laser hair removal is ineffective. Until the underlying issue is resolved, these people will only see short-term effects. After addressing the hormone imbalance, laser hair removal treatments may start, with long-term advantages.
Women with excessive body or facial hair should consult a doctor to see whether they have a hormonal imbalance before having laser hair removal. To ascertain whether growth started suddenly, whether there are underlying health problems like obesity or acne, or whether there is a family history of hirsutism, a medical evaluation is necessary. Consultation with an expert is essential since laser hair removal might have negative side effects, such as infertility.
The development of coarse, black hair in areas of the body where fine, thin hair would typically grow is the most typical hirsutism sign. Women’s hair on the lower belly, upper arms, face, chest, back, and upper legs may get thicker and coarser as a result of hormonal changes.
Several hirsutism treatment options are provided by medical specialists. Depending on the cause of hair growth and how it affects a person’s life, several treatment methods may be available.
A healthcare professional may do a blood test to assess hormone levels and the presence of a hormonal imbalance. Sometimes, androgen blockers are used to directly treat the hormonal imbalance in hirsutism patients; other times, medications like the birth control pill are used to help people with hirsutism manage their hormones.
The type of therapy and care required will depend on the underlying reason. In addition to your primary care physician, additional specialists such as gynaecologists and endocrinologists (medical professionals who focus on hormone-related problems) may be required during pregnancy.
To assess hormone levels and the presence of a hormonal imbalance, a healthcare professional may perform a blood test. Other times, the hormonal imbalance is addressed directly with androgen blockers. Sometimes, medications like the birth control pill are used to help people with hirsutism manage their hormones.
The therapy and care plan will be determined by the underlying reason. In addition to your primary care physician, you could require the help of other experts during pregnancy, such as gynaecologists and endocrinologists (medical professionals who focus on hormone-related problems).
The following are a few therapy options:
If you are overweight, even a 5% drop in weight may cause a significant drop in testosterone levels, which might be beneficial. Various hair removal methods can also be used to treat mild hirsutism. They focus on treating the signs of excessive hair growth rather than the root of the problem.
The following are some options for temporary hair removal:
Treatment for hirsutism that might last a long time includes:
Using a small needle and a little electrical zap, electrolysis is a method for removing individual hair roots. Due to the need to treat each hair follicle independently, it might not be feasible to treat a large area of the body at once. This might be a difficult, costly, and lengthy procedure. Everyone may not find it suitable.
The hair follicles are destroyed by a focused light beam used in laser or photo epilation therapy. This method may be applied to a broader region of the body than the previous one and is more persistent. Despite being a successful therapy, photo epilation is also costly, time-consuming, and inconvenient.
Depending on the aetiology, several prevention techniques are used for hirsutism. Women with PCOS who have PCOS hirsutism may benefit from losing weight by diet and exercise, for instance. A low-calorie diet helps obese PCOS women avoid developing hirsutism.
It’s difficult to maintain excess or undesirable hair over the long run. Even while most women with hormonal problems respond well to medication, if your hormones start acting abnormally again, your hair may come back.
Hirsutism therapy may or may not endure forever, depending on the underlying cause and chosen treatment strategy. Shaving or using depilatory creams may not be as successful as electrolysis or laser hair removal. A chronic disease called hirsutism is brought on by conditions including PCOS and adrenal gland dysfunction.
In certain people with hormonal imbalances, laser treatments may increase hair regrowth or damage existing hair, although the presence of excess male hormones may speed up regeneration. The good news is that hormone imbalances can occasionally be corrected surgically or medically. Before having laser hair removal, if you have any of these issues, you should educate yourself about hormonal imbalance and excessive hair growth.
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