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Excessive body and facial hair, a condition referred to as hirsutism, is usually a benign symptom. While a person who has this problem may feel self-conscious for aesthetic reasons, there is generally no underlying medical condition to be concerned about.

Hirsutism often runs in families, especially among persons of Mediterranean extraction. Excessive hair growth may be a side effect of taking certain drugs such as corticosteroids, or it may be a symptom of a disease that affects the body's hormonal balance. In women, excess hair usually grows in a masculine pattern, appearing on the face, chest, and lower abdomen. This type of hirsutism is usually caused by high levels of male sex hormones (androgens). Some women temporarily grow excess hair when they are pregnant, which is due to changes in hormonal balance. Although excessive hair growth is usually not serious, in a few cases, it may be a symptom of a serious medical problem.

Causes of hairiness

Cancer
Some cancers can cause hirsutism, especially if they produce hormones themselves or affect hormone-producing glands. Ovarian cancer is one of the most common examples

Cushing's syndrome
This condition is the result of an overproduction of the adrenal steroids, which are hormones that are produced by the adrenal glands. The cause of overproduction is either a tumor (usually benign) of the adrenal glands or excessive stimulation by the pituitary gland, resulting in an overgrowth of adrenal tissue. Long-term use of steroid medications can also produce Cushing's symptoms. The most common symptoms are weight gain and obesity, with increased fat accumulating on the trunk, back, and face. A person with Cushing's syndrome may thus appear moon-faced and have a fatty hump on the back. Excessive hair growth, acne, muscle weakness, and cessation of menstrual periods are also common symptoms.

Medications
Some drugs can cause abnormal hair growth. In fact a high blood pressure medication called minoxidil

is so efficient at promoting hair growth that a topical variation of the drug was developed for the treatment of baldness. This drug, which has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for this use, produces significant new hair growth in about a third of the men who use it on a long-term basis. Steroid medications can cause hairiness, as can hormone preparations, such as those used to treat certain cancers and cystic breasts.

Menopause
In women, any suppression of the function of the ovaries can result in excess hair growth. During menopause, the ovaries gradually stop producing the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. One of the many body changes that may occur during menopause is the appearance of facial hair. At the same time hair on the head may become thinner. Some older women even experience male-pattern baldness.

Ovarian abnormalities
Women with certain types of ovarian tumors may suffer from a condition called virilization, which includes increased hairiness that grows in a male pattern, acne, increased muscle mass, balding on the sides of the head, and enlargement of the clitoris. These symptoms are a response to excessive production of androgen, a male sex hormone that stimulates hair growth and virilization.

Ovulation abnormalities
The ovaries release eggs once a month and produce hormones as part of the normal menstrual cycle. Whenever the function of the ovaries is suppressed, a woman may grow excess hair.

Polycystic ovaries
Ovarian cysts — growths that form on the ovaries — are common during a woman's reproductive years. They are usually benign, although they may sometimes cause problems and require treatment. In a woman with polycystic ovaries, cysts build up and cause the ovaries to become enlarged and form a thick outer covering that prevents ovulation, sometimes leading to hirsutism. Other symptoms may include a dull ache or a sense of pressure or fullness in the abdomen. Delayed, irregular, or unusually painful menstrual periods and enlargement or swelling of the lower abdomen may also occur. Ovarian cysts sometimes cause pain during intercourse. Severe pain can also occur if a cyst bleeds or breaks open, becomes overly large, or twists in a way that blocks blood flow.