378 citations,
November 2011 in “Human reproduction update” Experts recommend using evidence-based methods to diagnose and treat hirsutism, focusing on symptoms and underlying causes.
51 citations,
November 2011 in “Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology” About 13% of women had idiopathic hirsutism and 8.5% had polycystic ovary syndrome in a group of Iranian women.
14 citations,
May 2011 in “Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North America” Laser hair removal is effective for dark hair but needs improvement for nonpigmented or fine hairs.
41 citations,
April 2010 in “Gender Medicine” The conclusion is that hirsutism should be diagnosed and treated because it affects quality of life and may signal other health problems.
32 citations,
January 2010 in “Dermatology” Combining laser hair removal with topical eflornithine is recommended for better results in treating unwanted facial hair.
31 citations,
November 2009 in “European journal of dermatology/EJD. European journal of dermatology” Experts made a guide to help doctors evaluate women with too much hair growth.
112 citations,
April 2009 in “Cochrane library” Spironolactone may reduce excessive hair growth in women but its effectiveness for acne is not supported.
66 citations,
September 2008 in “Dermatologic therapy” The conclusion is that the best initial treatment for hirsutism is usually oral contraceptives, with the addition of antiandrogens or insulin sensitizers if needed, and topical eflornithine or laser treatments as supplementary options.
67 citations,
September 2008 in “Dermatologic therapy” Hirsutism is excessive hair growth in women often caused by polycystic ovarian syndrome, and identifying the cause is important for managing associated health risks.
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.
56 citations,
April 2003 in “Fertility and Sterility” All three treatments reduce hirsutism, but spironolactone works best long-term.
40 citations,
January 2003 in “Gynecological Endocrinology” Finasteride effectively reduces hair growth in women with polycystic ovary syndrome or idiopathic hirsutism.
10 citations,
January 2000 in “PubMed” Both finasteride and GnRH agonist treatments reduced hair growth in women with idiopathic hirsutism, but GnRH agonist was more effective.
32 citations,
July 1999 in “Fertility and Sterility” Finasteride and flutamide both reduce hair growth, but finasteride has fewer side effects.
186 citations,
July 1998 in “Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery” Shorter CAG repeats may cause hair and skin issues, while longer ones may link to acne.
76 citations,
December 1997 in “Fertility and Sterility” Finasteride reduces hair growth better, but spironolactone has more side effects.
75 citations,
November 1996 in “Fertility and Sterility” Finasteride effectively reduces hair growth in women with idiopathic hirsutism, but requires careful contraception during treatment.
11 citations,
May 1996 in “The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism/Journal of clinical endocrinology & metabolism” The main enzyme found in pubic skin that could be targeted to treat excessive hair growth is 5 alpha-R2.
165 citations,
February 1994 in “Fertility and Sterility” Flutamide is more effective and has fewer side effects than spironolactone for treating hirsutism.
27 citations,
October 1991 in “International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics” Flutamide effectively reduces hair growth in women with hirsutism and improves acne and seborrhea without side effects.
68 citations,
May 1991 in “The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism/Journal of clinical endocrinology & metabolism” Both cyproterone acetate and spironolactone effectively reduce hair growth in women with hirsutism.
78 citations,
May 1989 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism” Spironolactone effectively reduces hair growth in women with hirsutism and is generally well-tolerated.
80 citations,
January 1988 in “The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism/Journal of clinical endocrinology & metabolism” Spironolactone can cause side effects like irregular bleeding, but lower doses may reduce these effects and still improve hirsutism.