Other names: hypertrichosis, hirsutism (in women)
Increased hair growth may cover the entire body, or it can be localized.
Precinct localized skin can be increased body hair from birth, then it is a birthmark. Instead of the increased body hair may also arise after the burn scar or chronic skin irritation.
Increased hair growth on the whole body has two forms – hirsutism and hypertrichosis.
As hirsutism refers to hirsutism in women where hair growth is subject to male hormones, such as for the face and chest. Hair growth is a hereditary condition, so that it is in one population considered hirsutism may be in a different population of normal and it is difficult to find the boundary between the normal and increased body hair.
Hirsutism may be caused either by increased production of male sex hormones, or increased sensitivity of tissues to them. Since the male sex hormones are produced in the ovaries and the adrenal glands, may be associated with impaired hirsutism these organs, such as occurs in polycystic ovary syndrome.
Hirsutism woman poses for a cosmetic problem, but rarely indicates serious disease. A warning signal should be above all other manifestations of masculinization occurring in puberty, they could indicate a serious disease of the ovaries or adrenal glands.
Other type of increased body hair is hypertrichosis, that can occur in both sexes and is found throughout the body.
It can be congenital, when such a rare disease has afflicted body covered with fine hairs up to 10 cm long.
Greater hair growth can be provoked by certain medications (eg. Phenytoin or streptomycin), malnutrition, hypothyroidism, porphyria, brain injuries.
When treatment is necessary to focus on the cause that led to hypertrichosis, if not possible, remove the hair cosmetically.
Description of hyperthyroidism Hyperthyroidism is a relatively common disorder in which thethyroid gland produces more hormones (thyroxine andtrijodtyroxinu) than the body needs. The disease affects roughly 2% of the adult population and more women than men. In this disease in…
Description of cysts on the ovary Polycystic ovary syndrome is a disease for which diagnosis is necessary to present several factors that occur together. It is a heterogeneous disease, and it means that its occurrence is involved in several pathological…
Description of Cushing’s syndrome Cushing’s syndrome is an endocrine disorder characterized by increased production of cortisol, a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands. Its necessity is to regulate carbohydrate metabolism and also in improving glycemic control (blood glucose) in…