Hirsutism and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

INTRODUCTION;
Hirsutism is the excessive growth of facial or body hair on women. Hirsutism can be seen as coarse, dark hair that may appear on the face, chest, abdomen, back, upper arms, or upper legs. Hirsutism is a symptom of medical disorders associated with the http://oreecare.blogspot.com/ hormones called androgen. Poly cystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), in which the ovaries produce excessive amounts of androgens, is the most common cause of hirsutism and may affect up to 10% of women. Hirsutism is very common and often improves with medical management. Prompt medical attention is important because delaying treatment makes the treatment more difficult and may have long-term health consequences. 

OVERVIEW OF NORMAL HAIR GROWTH ;

Understanding the process of normal hair growth will help you understand hirsutism. Each hair grows from a follicle deep in your skin. As long as these follicles are not completely destroyed, hair will continue to grow even if the shaft, which is the part of the hair that appears above the skin, is plucked or removed. Hair follicles cover every surface of your body except the soles of your feet and the palms of your hands. Of the approximately 50 million hair follicles covering your body, one fifth are located on your scalp. The number of hair follicles you have does not increase after birth but slowly begins to decrease at around age 40. Hair density varies by ethnic origin. Men and women of the same ethnic group have http://oreecare.blogspot.com/  similar numbers of hair follicles and similar hair patterns. People of Mediterranean descent, for example, generally have much more hair than Asians and American Indians. Excessive hair that is due to genetic and ethnic variation rather than hormonal causes is typically located on the arms, hands, legs, and feet, whereas hirsutism typically affects the face, abdomen, chest, inner thighs, and back. 4 Adults have two types of hair, vellus and terminal (Figure 1). Vellus hair is soft, fine, generally colorless, and usually short. Terminal hair is long, coarse, dark, and sometimes curly. In most women, vellus hair covers the face, chest, and back and gives the impression of “hairless” skin. In most men, terminal hair covers the face and body. Terminal hair grows on the scalp, pubic, and armpit areas in both men and women. A mixture of vellus and terminal hair covers the lower arms and legs in both men and women. If excessive hair growth is present only on your lower legs and forearms, it is not considered hirsutism and will not respond to hormonal therapy.