Hirsutism Treatment

First, your provider must identify the cause of your excessive hair growth. From there, the determination of the underlying cause will lead to further tests, examination, and a definitive course of treatment. Some common treatments include: medications, topical solutions, and laser therapy. At Dermatology & Skin Health, we use the ProWave device for hair removal.

Many people have never heard of the term Hirsutism. However, once explained, many people have that lightbulb moment. More common than you think, Hirsutism occurs when a woman has unwanted male-pattern hair growth on her body. Our body hair is primarily determined by genetics. Hair color and thickness varies based on genetic traits. However, excessive male-pattern hair growth occurs when there is an excess of androgens, usually, testosterone in the body. If you are concerned about Hirsutism, our experts at Dermatology & Skin Health can help. Our providers can come up with a customized treatment to fit your personal needs.

Both men and women’s bodies produce androgens; they just generally produce different amounts. Generally, the most thought of androgens are male sex hormones. The most common one being testosterone. They are responsible for the production of male characteristics and attributes in the human body. In a woman’s body, androgens mainly exist to be converted into estrogen, a female hormone. Androgens in women are generally produced in the fat cells, ovaries, and adrenal glands. The overproduction of androgens is what leads to excessive male pattern hair growth in women.

The most common symptom is excessive dark hair growth in unusual places for women, such as the face, upper lip, and chest. Basically any place where a man would naturally grow hair.

Other common symptoms include:

• a decrease in breast size
• balding
• deepened voice
• increase in muscle mass
• enlargement of the clitoris
• onset of acne