Has anyone ever heard of hirsutism?

Question

I have been embarassingly diagnosed when hub and I were trying to conceive. Any suggestions on treatment?

Answer 1

I suspect you have polycystic ovary disease. One of the symptoms of this is excessive body hair and facial hair. One of the other symptoms is infertility. Discuss this with your obstetrician. There are some medications which can help.

Answer 2

The underlying cause should be removed in the rare instances where this is possible (eg drugs, adrenal or ovarian tumours). Other therapy depends upon whether the aim is to reduce hirsutism, regularize periods or produce fertility.

Local Therapy for Hirsutism

Plucking, bleaching, depilatory cream or wax and shaving may all help and are often underused. Waxing is of especial value where the "bikini area is causing the concern. Electrolysis is slow and expensive.

Systemic Therapy for Hirsutism

This always requires a year or more of treatment for maximal benefit, and long-term treatment is frequently required as the problem tens to recur when treatment is stopped. The patient must therefore be an active participant in the decision to use systemic therapy and must understand the rare risks as well as benefits.

Oestrogens (eg. oral contraceptives) suppress ovarian androgen production and reduce free androgens by increasing SHBG levels when thse are low. Combined pills, which contain a non-androgenic progestogen (eg Dianette or Marvelon) have a theoretical advantage over older combined pills, and will result in a slow improvement in hirsutism in a majority of cases and should normally be used first unless there is a contraindication.

Cyproterone acetate (50 -200mg daily) is an anti-androgen but is also teratogenic and a weak glucocorticoid and progestogen. Given continuously it produces amenorrhoea, and so is nomrally given for days 1-14 of each cycle. In women of child bearing age, contraception is essential.

Spironalactone (200mg daily) also has anti-androgen activity and can cause useful improvements in hisutism in selected cases.

Other agents of doubtful efficacy include bromocriptine and cimetidine.

New agents which remain to be fully evaluated include finasteride and flutamide.

Eflornithine Cream is the first topical prescription treatment for women with unwanted facial hair. Eflornithine works by inhibiting the growth of facial hair and was shown in controlled clinical trials to provide clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvement in the reduction of facial hair growth in women.

Answer 3

Googling always helps!!