Facial hair is one of the leading causes of embarrassment and low self-esteem in women. Although there aren’t any health risk associated with this condition, removing it can be a real pain and can become rather expensive. It is important to note that the cause of the increase in facial and body hair in some women is due to an underlying medical condition. One of which is Hirsutism.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Hirsutism (HUR-soot-iz-um) is a condition of unwanted, male-pattern hair growth in women. Hirsutism results in excessive amounts of dark, coarse hair on body areas where men typically grow hair — face, chest, and back.

Hirsutism can be caused by:

• Polycystic ovary syndrome. This most common cause of hirsutism is caused by an imbalance of sex hormones that can result in irregular periods, obesity, infertility and sometimes multiple cysts on your ovaries.
• Cushing’s syndrome. This occurs when your body is exposed to high levels of the hormone cortisol. It can develop from your adrenal glands making too much cortisol or from taking medications such as prednisone over a long period.
• Congenital adrenal hyperplasia. This inherited condition is characterized by abnormal production of steroid hormones, including cortisol and androgen, by your adrenal glands.
• Tumors. Rarely, an androgen-secreting tumor in the ovaries or adrenal glands can cause hirsutism.
• Medications. Some medications can cause hirsutism. These include danazol, which is used to treat women with endometriosis; systemic corticosteroids and fluoxetine (Prozac) for depression.

If you are tired of waxing, tweezing, shaving and/or chemical depilatories, the infographic below will provide you with information on how spearmint tea can reduce or help stop excess facial and body hair.

Sources:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hirsutism/home/ovc-20262990

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19585478

http://theindianspot.com/benefits-uses-spearmint-tea/

Disclaimer: The information in this post should not take the place of medical advice. Talk to your health providers about what may be best for your health.