Anti-androgens. The most commonly used anti-androgen for treating hirsutism is spironolactone (Aldactone, CaroSpir). The results are modest and take at least six months to be noticeable.
While estrogen can help thin hair, it cannot completely reverse facial and body hair growth.
Estrogen-progestin contraceptive pills, rings, and patches lower the levels of androgens produced by the ovaries and adrenal glands. They are usually the first choice for the treatment of hirsutism, and between 60 and 100 percent of females with hirsutism will notice improvement when taking these medications.
Hirsutism is a common disorder that usually can be treated successfully with medication. Following medical treatment, electrolysis or laser treatment can be used to permanently reduce or remove any remaining unwanted hair.
The most popular treatment for hirsutism are oral contraceptive (OC) medications, which suppress circulating luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), leading to a decrease in ovarian androgen production. They may also decrease adrenal androgen production by a mechanism not yet clear.
Some examples include eating a healthful diet, stopping smoking, and getting regular exercise. Doctors can also prescribe treatments to reduce chin hair in females. For example, birth control pills can help balance hormone levels by reducing androgen production.
Many studies have reported associations between low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] level and symptoms of the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) - insulin resistance, hirsutism, and infertility associated with both, ovulatory disorders and abnormal endometrial receptivity.
Hirsutism may be caused by: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This condition, which often begins with puberty, causes an imbalance of sex hormones. Over years, PCOS may slowly result in excess hair growth, irregular periods, obesity, infertility and sometimes multiple cysts on the ovaries.
Avoid refined foods, such as white breads, pastas, and especially sugar. Eat fewer red meats and more lean meats, cold-water fish, tofu (soy, if no allergy), or beans for protein. Use healthy oils in foods, such as olive oil or vegetable oil.
AAE , including acne and hirsutism , is very treatable with progesterone and a medicine called spironolactone that blocks androgen receptors on the hair follicle s.
Hirsutism is the presence of excess male-pattern hair growth in women and is commonly caused by an imbalance of hormones.
Additionally, low estrogen levels can cause it because estrogen helps the liver produce a protein that binds testosterone and prevents it from affecting the hair follicles. This is why women going through menopause often notice some increased facial hair.
Eflornithine (Vaniqa) is a prescription cream specifically for excessive facial hair in women. It's applied directly to the affected area of your face twice a day.
Hirsutism symptoms such as unwanted hair growth and balding worsen with age. The most important findings are that metabolic parameters worsen in overweight women with PCOS, increasing their risk for life-long health issues beyond menopause.
Eflornithine is used to slow the growth of unwanted hair on the face in women, usually around the lips or under the chin. Eflornithine works by blocking a natural substance that is needed for hair to grow and is located in your hair follicle (the sac where each hair grows).
But some women with hirsutism don't have PCOS or any other cause that can be found. Their hormone levels are normal, and so are their menstrual cycles. These women may have been born with hair follicles that are more sensitive to androgens. Hirsutism may also occur in some women who have diabetes or who are obese.
Some excessive hair growth does not fit the pattern of growth triggered by androgen hormones (for example, hair between the eyes, on the forehead, on the temples or high on the cheeks of the face). This hair growth, called hypertrichosis, can be caused by thyroid problems or by anorexia nervosa.
Obesity. Extra weight causes your body to make more male hormones, which can make hirsutism worse.
In a recent clinical trial, zinc supplementation significantly improved hirsutism in just eight weeks. The recommended dose is 30-50 mg taken directly after dinner. Don't take zinc on an empty stomach, or it could make you feel sick. Read Why zinc is my favorite prescription for healthy periods.
Effects on hirsutism and hormonal profiles
Our results provided evidence that vitamin D and probiotic co-supplementation for 12 weeks in women with PCOS significantly improved hirsutism and total testosterone concentrations, but did not affect SHBG values.
Weight loss is often the first step in treating hirsutism. Losing even 5% of your body weight can lower your androgen levels and stop excessive hair growth.
While estrogen usually does not cause body hair or facial hair to go away altogether, your hair patterns may begin to look more “feminine.” You may notice baby hairs growing on your scalp, especially at your hairline.
During menopause, a woman's body stops circulating estrogen but continues to circulate the same amounts of testosterone. The imbalance of hormones causes the appearance of some male secondary sex characteristics, like coarse facial hair. You should let your doctor know if your facial and body hairs are growing quickly.
Another hormone supplement that can work for stopping additional hair growth in women is progesterone. Progesterone medications are a natural androgen inhibitor and they work by limiting the production of androgen in the glands and blocking the androgen receptors in the hair follicle.