Hair Growth Abnormalities

The spectrum of abnormality of hair growth, according to Elizabeth Knobler, M.D., ranges from a woman who has only scattered patches on the face and chest to a woman with a full beard.

There are actually two types of increased hair growth. One is hirsutism, which happens as a result of increased amounts of or increased sensitivity to hormones called androgens. The causes can include menopause, pregnancy (rarely), an overactive adrenal gland, Cushing’s disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, a pituitary tumor, an ovarian tumor, and the use of medication that contains androgens.

The second type of abnormal hair growth is called hypertrichosis, which has nothing to do with?hormones but rather is often due to ethnic and geographic influences. Among white people, those of Mediterranean and Semitic descent tend to be hairier than Scandinavians and Anglo-Saxons. The least hairy peoples are Asians and American

Indians. Hypertrichosis can also be caused by certain medications, physical factors such as chronic rubbing, and systemic ( bodywide) disease.

In short, if your mother and your mother’s mother kept a hairy upper lip, you probably don’t have to be concerned that there is a medical problem underlying your excess hair growth. If on the other hand, you come from a long line of sparsely whiskered folk, the appearance of a crop of dark?and for coarse hair on your face, chest, back, arms, or legs should be reported to your doctor. Often, the excess hair will disappear once the underlying condition is corrected.