What Causes Excessive Facial Hair in Women?

We all know about the ongoing trend of beard amongst men these days but a girl with a beard is an absolute no-no. Excessive facial hair in women is the result of a condition called hirsutism.This type of growth of hair can be seen on a woman’s face, arms, back, or chest and is usually coarse and dark in comparison to normal body hair which very fine and light in colour.

This condition occurs in females due to higher-than-normal levels of androgens, which usually are in low quantity. Certain medical conditions can cause a woman to produce too many androgens which may cause this male-pattern hair growth and sometimes deepening of voice as well.

Let’s go through the various conditions which may lead to hormonal imbalance:

1. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome(PCOS): It is one of the most common causes for Hirsutism. In PCOS, the levels of androgens are drastically increased resulting in increased hair growth. Women with PCOS usually have trouble with their menstrual cycles, have a deeper voice and have difficulty losing weight.

2. Adrenal gland disorders: The adrenal glands, are located just above the kidneys and are responsible for hormone production. Women suffering from congenital adrenal hyperplasia lack the enzyme necessary for hormone production resulting in growth of heavy coarse hair on the chin.

3. Cushing’s Syndrome: Women who had prolonged exposure to cortisol develops Cushing’s Syndrome and develop unwanted facial hair.

4. Ovarian tumours: It causes an increase in the androgen level resulting in the increase in facial hair.

5. Medications: Certain medications such as anti-seizure medicines, anabolic steroids, testosterone, Prednisone, minoxidil, etc. have adverse effects on hormones. This can lead to facial hair growth in women.

6. Genetics: Sometimes Hirsutism runs in families. If one’s mother or sister has excessive unwanted facial hair growth, then one may have strong chances to inherit it.

7. Pregnancy and Menopause: It can cause hormonal changes in the body, thus, increasing the likelihood of excess facial hair growth.

Knowing the correct cause will help you opt for the right treatment. You may consult a specialist based on your symptoms. Mild symptoms can be taken care off by using different types of hair removal methods prevalent these days such as – epilating, waxing, threading, shaving, laser hair reduction method, electrolysis etc. Lifestyle modifications such as reducing weight in case obese, eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly also helps in alleviating the abnormal hair growth.

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