What is Excessive Body Hair or Hirsutism?
Hirsutism is the excess growth of terminal hair in women of a male type. Terminal hair is that which is dark, stiff and long, unlike fluffy, which are slightly dyed, soft and short. The male type of hair growth is characterized by the appearance of hair on the chin, upper chest (in the sternum), upper back and abdomen. But the appearance of terminal hair in the lower abdomen, lower back, near the nipples, on the arms and legs is normal. Please note that we are talking about hirsutism only in relation to women.
Causes of Excessive Hair Growth (Hirsutism)
Increased hairiness is a consequence of the tumor process in the adrenal glands, resulting in the proliferation of cells producing male sex hormones responsible for the development of secondary sexual characteristics, including male type hair growth. Other disorders from the system of endocrine glands may also be at the heart of the disease. Pathology initially also has a genetic nature, while it is transmitted in the form of a dominant trait, that is, carriers do not exist, all who receive a vicious gene become ill.
Symptoms of Excessive Hair Growth (Hirsutism)
They consist in excessive growth of hair on the body. There are two types of disease. The so-called universal hirsutism captures the entire surface of the body. A partial type of disease affects only some of its areas. Most often, in men, the disease does not cause almost any discomfort and suffering. With the development of pathology in a woman, especially when the hair begins to grow in unusual places (in the cheeks, upper lip, on the shins, on the chin), all this causes the patient considerable suffering associated with the cosmetic effect.
Very often, excessive body hair growth develops in combination with such pathologies as violation of the structure and growth of teeth, disorders of the nervous system, and diabetes mellitus. In the presence of the last of the above, such a combination is called “diabetes of bearded women” or Ahard-Thiers syndrome, according to the names of scientists who discovered it.
Treatment for Excessive Hair (Hirsutism)
When such a patient enters the clinic, the doctor must first understand the origin of the pathology, since only in this case its effective treatment is possible. With pathology from the internal organs, especially the endocrine glands, these must be eliminated as fully as possible. The most effective measure is hair removal in places of their excessive growth. For these purposes, a technique such as diathermocoagulation – epilation using electric current is currently being used. With this manipulation, the destruction of the hair root itself occurs, as a result of which its growth stops and never resumes. Depending on the severity of the manifestations of the disease, the time of hair removal procedure itself can take from 5 minutes to 1 hour. However, this technique can not be applied to all patients. Contraindications in it are: allergic skin lesions, purulent diseases, disorders of the heart and blood vessels, hypertension, epileptic seizures, the presence of pregnancy.
Forecast
Always favorable with proper therapy.
Prevention of Excessive Hair Growth (Hirsutism)
It consists of preventive measures aimed at the endocrine glands.