Hirsute Women & Homeopathy………

Hirsutism can be defined as excess facial and body hair growth in women. This condition can be easily treated. It usually develops during puberty and increases with the age. Hirsutism is caused due to hormonal imbalance; it can be caused due to abnormally increased level of male hormones (androgens). As androgen comes only from the adrenal glands or gonads, or by conversion in peripheral tissues of precursor steroids from these organs, the causes of hirsutism are related to these two organs.

Causes of hirsutism:

(1). Adrenal Causes: Adrenal causes include Cushing’s syndrome, adrenal tumours, and congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

(2). Ovarian Causes: Ovarian causes include tumours of ovary, polycystic ovarian syndrome, etc.

(3). Idiopathic Hirsutism: In most of the cases the cause is unknown.

(4). Obesity.

(5). Other causes are: Anorexia, some steroids (anabolic), by some medicines such as diazoxide, hexachlorobenzene, cyclosporine, Birth control pills, or due to hormone replacement therapy, etc.

Not all women who have high testosterone develop unwanted hair. In fact, hirsutism may be caused by an increased sensitivity of the skin to the activity of normal or raised levels of male hormones. To reduce this sensitivity of skin, treatment is available in allopathy to block the actions of male hormones on the skin. Hirsutism can be mild or severe. In idiopathic hirsutism the exact cause is unknown; instead of normal level of androgens some women are hirsute. In some cases there is slight increase in androgen.

Excessive hair growth or hirsutism is a painful experience, as women are very sensitive towards their physical appearance.

Symptoms associated with hirsutism are:

(1). Male like hair growth in females.
(2). Menstrual irregularities.
(3). Excessive perspiration.
(4). Lack of feminine character and body shape.
(5). Pimples.
(6). Presence of masculine character.
(7). Frontal Baldness with excessive hairs on other parts of body.
(8). Obesity.

How to remove unwanted hair?

(1). Bleaching- It is done to make the hair less noticeable by lightening it, using chemicals.

(2). Hair removal- It includes shaving, waxing, plucking or chemical depilation.

(3). Electrolysis- using electrical current to damage individual hair follicles so they do not grow back. This is expensive and requires multiple treatments.

(4). Laser hair removal- Individual hair follicles are damaged by using laser. This is a permanent method of hair removal requires multiple sitings and expensive too.

How to find out the cause of hirsutism:

(1). Blood study will show increase in the male hormones and imbalance between the levels of the female hormones.
(2). Insulin level test.
(3). Thyroid level tests.
(4). Transvaginal ultrasound.
(5). Pelvic examination.
(6). CT scan, MRI- used to identify cyst or tumors on the ovaries or adrenal glands

Trichological Treatment:

Since the main cause of hirsuitism is the male hormones, a unique trichological treatment involves the intake of a fruit in a capsule form called serenoa complex (internally) along with the external application of oleum jacoris cream. These are the two main drug treatments. Both of these drugs block the effects of testosterone. They basically act as Dihydrotestosterone blockers. A trichologist will be able to treat the cause and also advise the person about diet and other lifestyle factors that contributes to hirsutism.

Homeopathic Treatment:

Some of the medicines used for hirsutism and the problems associated with it are: Thuja occ, medorrhinum, sabal serulata, thyroidinum, calc carb, calc phos, pulsatilla, sepia, nat mur, ignatia, etc.