Medication for Excessive Hair Growth

Normal hair growth will vary from person to person. Women and men experience hair growth differently. Excessive hair growth is more often a concern or source of embarrassment for women than men. Thankfully, with treatment, excess hair that is here today can begin to be gone tomorrow.

Significance

• Most women grow just a fine, fuzzy amount of hair on the face, chin, chest or stomach. When this hair grows thick and dark, the condition is called hirsutism. In men, this is a typical hair growth pattern.

Considerations

• Hirsutism is not a harmful condition, and can be blamed on genetics, as it tends to run in families. Many people do become ashamed or humiliated by the condition.

Causes

• PCOS, polycystic ovary syndrome, causes unwanted hair growth in women. Other causes include a tumor or cancer of the adrenal gland, Cushing's syndrome, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, or hyperthecosis in which the ovaries produce too many male hormones. Certain medications are also causes (testosterone, Danazol, anabolic steroids, glucocorticoids, cyclosporine, Minoxidil or phenytoin).

Treatments

• Medication used to treated excessive hair includes birth control pills, although it may be months before a difference is seen. Antiandrogen medications such as spironolactone may also be used.

Hypertrichosis

• Excessive hair growth, above what is considered normal for a person's age, sex and race, is called hypertrichosis. Hypertrichosis can manifest all over the body or can appear as small patches. It can be present at birth or it can emerge later in life. Treatment is hair removal.

Expert Insight

• Other causes of excessive hair growth could require treatment--or the removal of treatment. Tumors or cancer may require surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Drug-induced hair growth may cease if the drug is stopped. Those suffering with anorexia nervosa may benefit from psychotherapy.