Natural Hormone Therapy for Excessive Hair Growth

Excessive hair growth (also known as hirsutism) can be problematic, especially in nations where it is less acceptable socially to exhibit more hair. It impacts both men and women. Typically, excessive hair growth has to do with abnormal hormone levels. You can get many medications that treat hirsutism from your doctor, but some natural approaches also can help remedy the condition.

Herbs

• Try some tea made from licorice or spearmint. Dr. Ray Sahelian reports that these two herbs have the ability to block the effects of androgens related to hair growth. You also can use the extracts from these herbs in cooking if you don't have a penchant for tea, or you can chew some natural licorice candy or natural spearmint gum. If you use licorice, be sure to watch your potassium levels.

Diet

• Certain foods have been known to affect how hormones are utilized by the body. Specifically, according to the Mayo Clinic, soy can work like a phytoestrogen, which can increase hair growth. Other foods and supplements like fish and nuts affect nutrient and vitamin levels in the body, which affects the production of hormones. Although these are very healthy foods that you should not cut out completely, you should evaluate your diet with a nutritionist and your doctor to see if your diet is contributing to your hirsutism. You may be able to alter your hormone levels and change your hair growth patterns just by making a few food substitutions or by cutting back on particular foods you eat a lot.

Hormone Testing

• According to Dr. Geoffrey Redmond, hormone levels related to hair growth can fluctuate. Therefore, regardless of what natural method you are using to control your hormones, you'll need to have your doctor do frequent hormone testing to see how your body is adjusting to the treatment. You may find that your hormones change dramatically with the seasons, when you start or stop other medications or if you give birth, so keep track of how your hair growth corresponds to these circumstances.

Other Therapies

• Your doctor already may have you on medication for your hirsutism. It is fine to use a natural hormone therapy approach instead of these medications, but you should use one or the other instead of combining them because you can overdo the effects of your treatment.

Consistency

• As with any other treatment, consistency is important when using natural remedies. Try to set a specific time to engage in your therapy, such as always having a cup of spearmint tea before bed or when you get up in the morning. This will keep your hormone levels from spiking and will lessen the sudden bursts of hair growth you may experience otherwise.