TLDR Hirsutism can lower a woman's quality of life, causing emotional distress and affecting social and work opportunities.
The document from 2010 examines the psychological and social effects of hirsutism on women, noting that it can cause stress, anxiety, and depression, and negatively impact employment opportunities. It affects 5-8% of women and can result in significant time and money spent on hair removal. Treatment options, such as eflornithine cream and mechanical hair removal, have limited effectiveness and potential side effects. Despite this, women and their partners are willing to pay for effective treatments, with eflornithine cream offering a small gain in Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) and being cost-effective. The document calls for more research into treatments and sensitive clinical care for women with hirsutism.
54 citations,
June 2006 in “Baillière's best practice and research in clinical endocrinology and metabolism/Baillière's best practice & research. Clinical endocrinology & metabolism” Medicines that lower androgen levels and hair removal treatments help manage excessive hair and acne in women with PCOS.
271 citations,
December 2005 in “New England journal of medicine/The New England journal of medicine” The document likely offers guidance on treating a woman's excessive hair growth, considering her symptoms and obesity.
947 citations,
February 2004 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Most women with excess male hormones have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, and hormonal therapy can improve symptoms but may cause side effects.
195 citations,
May 2003 in “Obstetrics and gynecology (New York. 1953. Online)/Obstetrics and gynecology” Most women with excess hair growth have an underlying hormonal issue, often treated with medication and hair removal methods.
378 citations,
September 1998 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” PCOS affects about 4% of women in the southeastern U.S. equally across Black and White populations.
18 citations,
June 1988 in “Culture, medicine and psychiatry” The perception of excessive hair growth in women as abnormal is more influenced by cultural norms than by medical reasons.
82 citations,
May 2016 in “Best Practice & Research in Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology” The conclusion is that managing androgen excess requires long-term treatment, including hormonal contraceptives and androgen blockers, with follow-up after six months.
157 citations,
May 2021 in “Endocrine Reviews” Early diagnosis and individualized treatment improve outcomes for Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia.
254 citations,
September 2014 in “Menopause” The NAMS 2014 recommendations guide healthcare providers on treating health issues in midlife women, emphasizing individualized care and informed decision-making.
21 citations,
April 2019 in “Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology” The document concludes that stopping shaving or removing affected hair can alleviate Pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB).
11 citations,
February 2008 in “British journal of nursing” Idiopathic hirsutism causes excessive hair growth in women, can be treated with medication and hair removal, but cannot be fully reversed.
