We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Hair

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Causes Excessive Hair Growth?

By Thomma Grindstaff
Updated: May 21, 2024
Views: 11,261
Share

Excessive hair growth in women, known as hirsutism, can be the result of heredity, hormonal imbalance or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Unwanted hair tends to be more of a problem for women than for men. One of the major contributing factors to excessive hair growth in women is an increase in the body's production of androgens, or male hormones. Hypertrichosis is the term for abnormal hair growth that can occur in either men or women.

There is a hereditary component to hirsutism; that is, it can run in families. Excessive hair growth is linked to abnormally high amounts of testosterone production in a woman's body. When adrenal glands make too much male hormone, it stimulates the growth of facial hair on the upper lip, cheeks and chin and sometimes body hair on the abdomen, back and chest. Sometimes a woman's hair follicles are oversensitive to the presence of testosterone, and these follicles rapidly grow thick hairs.

One of the most common causes of excessive hair growth in women is PCOS. This condition comes as the result of too many androgens being produced in a woman's body. PCOS can be the reason for excessive hair growth along with acne, irregular menstruation and a deeper voice. Ovulation is suppressed because of the hormonal imbalance, and instead of an egg being released from the ovary, a small cyst will form.

A link is thought to exist between excessive hair growth, insulin production and obesity. Studies have shown that when high levels of insulin are present in a woman's body, she is more likely to develop hirsutism. This ties in with the higher incidence of excessive hair growth in obese women, whose insulin tends to circulate at higher levels than normal and who often suffer from insulin resistance.

Hypertrichosis refers to excessive hair growth that affects both men and women. This condition can either be congenital, present at birth and caused by a genetic mutation, or it can develop later as a response to cancer or to drug side effects. Hypertrichosis can result either in hair that covers the whole body or hair that is limited to one area of the body.

If a woman experiences excessive hair growth that seems to come on suddenly, she needs to consult a medical professional. Serious medical conditions that can result in hirsutism include cancers or tumors of the ovaries or adrenal glands and Cushing's Syndrome, a disease in which the body makes too much cortisol. Sometimes the cause of excessive hair growth cannot be pinpointed, in which case the condition is said to be idiopathic, or unknown.

Share
BeautyAnswered is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
By anon339999 — On Jun 29, 2013

I used Reloxe- Natural hair growth supplement which helped to grow my falling hair and It really worked within only a few months.

Share
https://www.beautyanswered.com/what-causes-excessive-hair-growth.htm
Copy this link
BeautyAnswered, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

BeautyAnswered, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.