Warning: Check Abnormal Body Hair

Posted Wednesday, September 12, 2007 to PROCEDURES > Hair

Posted by The Original Anti-Aging & Cosmetic Surgery Magazine

Links between "Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome" and abnormal body hair have been made.

An important medical link between abnormal facial and body hair (hirsutism), Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and several common illnesses has been noted. Currently, hundreds of women with facial hair consult their family doctor from a cosmetic perspective. But the bigger medical picture has not been fully comprehended until now.

Approximately 20% of women of reproductive age suffer hirsutism and other features that indicate cystic ovaries, although only 6% fulfil the necessary criteria for actual PCOS. More importantly, PCOS not only causes hirsutism, but is likely to predispose women sufferers to a number of preventable complaints such as high cholesterol, late onset diabetes and heart disease. Even breast and endometrial cancer have been implicated in recent studies involving women with PCOS.

"This information has placed new emphasis on the doctor involved in cosmetic hair removal," explained Australian physician Dr Michael Molton. "Patients seeking help from their family doctor for facial hair have often been told this is just a cosmetic problem. Well informed family doctors have performed the appropriate hormonal investigations or referred them to an endocrinologist. However the emphasis has still mostly fallen on treating elevated testosterone levels to control facial hair, but the actual underlying disorder and its sequelae have received little, if any attention."

Dr Molton added: "We must now understand that women with PCOS not only have a hair problem, they may get diabetes, heart disease, suffer obesity and have conception difficulties. More than ever,these women need to visit their doctor for advice on breast self-examination and not disregard irregular menstrual bleeding."

Dr Molton also noted: "Anyone performing hair removal today should have in place an effective screening process to pick-up patients with PCOS. There is a risk the diagnosis of this important disorder will be missed. The lost opportunity to change the destiny of patients who would otherwise go on to suffer diabetes, heart attacks and some cancers is quite serious, given the knowledge we now have about hirsutism and its underlying causes.

"Women concerned about facial hair should be sure their treating doctor provides them with an assessment that includes the criteria for PCOS.In many cases, this disorder can be ruled out by history taking and suitable examination. But in some circumstances it involves special tests which the informed practitioner will be well acquainted with."

The assessment for PCOS is the classic demonstration of how cosmetic physicians are proving their worth in terms of public health. "By identifying those at risk of the diseases linked to PCOS, in the long run, this means saving lives," said Dr Molton.

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