What causes increased facial hair growth in women with PCOS?

Reviewed by Yoshinori Abe, MD

Internal Medicine

Increased facial hair growth in women with PCOS is often due to higher levels of male hormones called androgens, which can cause hair to grow more in areas like the face.

Important Next Steps

Discover if facial hair growth needs care Learn likely causes of facial hair growth See if facial hair means PCOS Find OTC options for facial hair concerns Find a doctor for hormonal hair growth Discover home remedies for unwanted facial hair Understand if facial hair growth is serious

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Explanation

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) can cause women to have more facial hair because of higher levels of male hormones known as androgens. These hormones can make hair grow more on the face and other parts of the body.

How it Happens:

Androgens: Women with PCOS often have higher levels of androgens. These hormones are usually present in smaller amounts in women, but with PCOS, they can be higher and lead to more hair growth.
Hair Growth Patterns: The increased androgens can change the way hair grows, causing it to be thicker and darker. This is why women with PCOS might notice more hair on their face.

Factors that Influence Hair Growth:

Body Mass Index (BMI): Higher BMI can influence hormone levels and hair growth.
Age: As women age, the way hair grows can change, and this might affect how much facial hair appears.

Understanding these factors can help in managing symptoms and finding the right treatment options. If you're experiencing symptoms like excess facial hair or other hormonal changes, take our free AI-powered symptom checker to better understand what might be causing them and explore your next steps.

(References)

Ebling FJ. (1987). The biology of hair. Dermatologic clinics, 3301105.
Ruutiainen K, Erkkola R, Grönroos MA, & Irjala K. (1988). Influence of body mass index and age on the grade of hair .... Fertility and sterility, 3396696.
Yildiz BO, Bolour S, Woods K, Moore A, & Azziz R. (2010). Visually scoring hirsutism. Human reproduction update, 19567450.

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