Hirsutism – What it is, Symptoms and Treatments

Hirsutism – What it is, Symptoms and Treatments of this disease that few know. In addition, hirsutism (also called frazonism) is the presence of terminal hair in women, in anatomical regions considered characteristic of the male sex.

Usually, the hairs receive two classifications: vellus or terminal. The vellus consists of finer, non-pigmented hairs, while the terminals are defined as thick, pigmented hairs, which can be hormone-dependent, found on the face, chest, suprapubic region, and root of the thighs.

Hirsutism results from  the action of androgen hormones circulating in the bloodstream, leading to stimulation of the follicle-sebaceous unit causing hairs to grow pigmented, as well as increased production of saturated fatty acids (sebum) and increased collagen content in the skin , facilitating the proliferation of skin microorganisms.

Hirsutism can represent a situation of great psychological discomfort, generating conflicts that compromise the quality of life of affected patients. Hirsutism  does  not always correspond to a pathology in itself, but it is a sign that can appear in several diseases, especially endocrine.

Causes of Hirsutism:  The most frequent causes of hirsutism are glandular in origin:

• Polycystic ovary syndrome .
• Congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
• Cushing’s Syndrome.
• Virilizing tumors (ovarian or adrenal) and certain medications.

Many cases of hirsutism have no definite cause.

Symptoms of Hirsutism:  Hirsutismusually affects women during their childbearing years and after menopause . So, check out the main symptoms of  Hirsutism:

• Acne: increase in the appearance of blackheads and pimples on the body, especially on the face.
• Alopecia : hair loss, with possible appearance of scalp flaws.
• Seborrhea: causing dandruff and oily scalp, also potential causes of hair loss.
• Irregular menstrual cycle: abnormal interval between cycles, reinforced by strong symptoms of premenstrual tension.

Less often, symptoms of more severe cases of hirsutism  manifest through:

• Increase in muscle mass which is often accompanied by weight gain.
• Enlargement of the clitoris, that is, swelling occurs in a specific part of the female sexual organ.
• Decreased size of the breasts, resulting from the decrease in breast tissue.
• Deepening of the voice, occurring after the growth phase has passed.
• Darkening of the skin near the neck region, especially in the folds.
• Loss of muscle strength and accompanied by weakness.
• Release of milk or other fluids from the nipples, even if the woman is not breastfeeding.
• High blood pressure despite having a healthy lifestyle. High blood sugar levels (seen in diabetics).
• Problems with cholesterol, even if the woman has a balanced diet.

Treatment of Hirsutism: The treatment of Hirsutism is based on suppressing excess circulating androgens or blocking their action on the hair, with the aim of decreasing the amount of the circulating hormone or its action on the hair. Cases of polycystic ovaries will receive appropriate treatment.

The response to the treatment of Hirsutism  is slow, as it follows the hair growth cycle, which alternates phases of growth, involution and rest, which last an average of six months. Therefore, it is only possible to notice an improvement in the hirsutism condition  around six to nine months after the start of treatment.

In addition, the hairs are in different growth stages and the medication cannot act on all of them at the same time. Therefore, the treatment of hirsutism  should be maintained for 18 to 24 months, as it is considered time dependent.

Note:  It is important to know that, with treatment, the hairs of Hirsutism  will not stop growing, but will do so more slowly and will become thinner, therefore, less noticeable. Women with a family history of increased hair may have to maintain hirsutism treatment  for long periods, as the genetics do not change.