A delicate, almost invisible fluff under a woman's nose is no problem. But when there is excessive hair growth on the chin, abdomen or breasts, it can be called hair loss. hirsutism, indicating, inter alia, to excess male hormones. It's a hormonal disorder that needs to be treated.

What ishirsutyzm ? Whatsymptomscould indicate that this is what we are dealing with? Almost 35 percent of women claim to be suffering fromhirsutism . Usually, however, this does not mean that you are ill. As the media promote the fashion for a body smooth as velvet, even a delicate tin can be perceived - especially by young women - like a bear's fur and become a cause for concern.

More intense hair on legs or arms results most often from family predispositions, dark complexion and is only a minor cosmetic defect. Sometimes it is a side effect of taking certain medications (e.g. steroids, hormonal contraceptive pills) or is a normal symptom at certain times in a woman's life, e.g. during pregnancy, adolescence or menopause. Sometimes this type of problem is also experienced by women who suffer from hypothyroidism or anorexia.

Hirsutism - are these hormones?

A woman's organism functions properly, inter alia, in thanks to the female sex hormones - estrogens. They are responsible for regular menstrual cycles and enable you to get pregnant. But in addition to estrogens, small amounts of androgens, the male sex hormones, are also produced. Androgens also play important roles in women, provided they are secreted in the right amounts. The excess of androgens may cause unfavorable symptoms, e.g. hirsutism.

In medical terminology, hirsutism is defined as the occurrence of excessive hair in the areas typical for men, i.e. on the chin, above the upper lip, on the chest, back, abdomen.

With a very disturbed secretion of hormones, virilization symptoms may also appear, i.e. other male features, e.g. low voice. Menstrual disorders, infertility and acne are also common. Androgen excess usually accompanies diseases of the adrenal glands or ovaries. In order to diagnose hormonal disorders, thorough tests are required by an endocrinologist.

Reasonshirsutism

They are tested by determining the level of sex hormones in the blood (estrogens, androgens, LH, FSH) and by performing ovarian ultrasound, preferably transvaginal. Often hirsutism is related to the so-called polycystic ovary syndrome. Other symptoms are: menstrual disorders, sometimes infertility and obesity. It also happens that ovarian tumors are the cause of excessive androgen production, and imaging tests (ultrasound, tomography) are the best in diagnosing them.

Worth knowing

Skin hypersensitivity

In some cases, hirsutism occurs when the body's hormone levels are normal. It is the result of an excessive reaction of skin receptors to androgens present in the blood serum - in the cells of the hair follicle there is an increased conversion of androgens into active forms, stimulating hair growth. This is called idiopathic hirsutism, not amenable to pharmacological treatment. In this situation, the only thing left to do is to remove hair through regular epilation with wax or chemical preparations, or with much more effective epilation.

Hirsutism - guilty adrenal glands

The most common pathologies are adrenal hyperplasia or tumor, which increase the secretion of androgens. To check the function of the adrenal glands, the level of androgens (testosterone and DHEA-S) in the blood is usually measured first. Ultrasound examinations of the adrenal glands are also very important, and in doubtful cases, computed tomography.

Hirsutism - too much prolactin

Other causes of hirsutism include diseases of the pituitary gland. It separates, inter alia, a hormone called prolactin, which plays an important role in women, mainly during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Excessive prolactin levels can cause many disorders, such as problems with getting pregnant, rare menstruation or just hirsutism.

Hirsutism after menopause

Menopause is associated with significantly decreased production of sex hormones in the ovaries. It is accompanied by heart palpitations, hot flushes and headaches, fluctuations in blood pressure, fatigue. But also excessive facial hair with simultaneous thinning and loss of hair on the head.

Hirsutism after drugs

Excessive increase in male sex hormones may be the result of taking certain medications, such as:

  • progestogens, used in the treatment of infertility to stimulate ovulation;
  • danazol, inhibiting the synthesis of ovarian hormones, used in the treatment of endometriosis;
  • certain antihypertensive drugs (minoxidil);
  • some antibiotics and histamine blockers, e.g. used to treat diseasegastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer;
  • some medications for schizophrenia that increase prolactin and stop ovulation;
  • certain AEDs;
  • glucocorticoid drugs used in the treatment of asthma, allergies and rheumatoid arthritis;
  • anabolic steroids, used, inter alia, in in the treatment of osteoporosis (but also taken as a means of increasing muscle mass).

If the diagnosis indicates this is the cause of hirsutism, the attending physician should change the drug or its dose.

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