What is excessive hair growth?

Also known as: hirsutism

When women and girls grow body hair more than is normal or in areas where hair growth usually occurs in men, such as the back, chest or face; the condition is known as hirsutism.

Excessive hair growth in men and boys can also occur.

Hirsutism is quite common, occurring in about 8 to 10 percent of women in the USA, particularly women of Mediterranean, Middle East or South Asian origin.

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (POS) have a high prevalence of hirsutism. In prepubertal children hirsutism is usually a sign of precocious puberty and may be associated with a serious underlying disease.

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Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM