Excess hair? See a doctor

Unwanted growth of hair could affect the well-being and reproductive health of women, says study.

Unwanted growth of hair could be an indication of a serious underlying medical condition, particularly in women, experts said. It can affect the well-being and even the reproductive health of many women, researcher Sharon Ortiz, the president of the American Electrology Association, Inc. (AEA), said.

HT Image

"Hair growth is often the symptom a woman will address first," she said.

Although excess male hormone 'androgen' is recognised as the reason for this excess hair growth its causes are not always easy to determine, reported health portal Medical News Today, quoting the researchers.

The research cited a large-scale analysis of women with androgen excess and found more than 80 per cent suffered from hirsutism (excess hair growth), menstrual dysfunction and acne.

As most androgen excess disorders begin around the onset of puberty, most women appear to suffer without intervention, the research said.

It was noted by researchers that "up to 80 per cent of patients are not recognised, evaluated or treated in a timely fashion".

Electrologists noted that women with an excess of androgen grow hair in a much different manner from most other women they see.

Their facial and body hair growth could rival that of a man's. This masculine hair growth pattern on both the face and body is very worrisome and much of their energy is spent trying to look as though the hair growth doesn't exist.

Since professional electrologists are trained to recognise the signs of androgen excess, when a woman comes in to address the cosmetic symptoms, they are likely to be referred to their primary care physician or an endocrinologist for evaluation.

While electrology treatments go forward, the cause of the unwanted hair growth can be mitigated through appropriate medical treatment.

The impact of having been directed to medical care can greatly benefit many other areas of their lives, the researchers said.