ARE YOU HIRSUTE? THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COSMETIC AND CLINICAL HAIRINESS

By Nasrin Mani, M.D.

In getting ready for shorts-and-swimsuit season many women think there must be something wrong with them. After all, women are supposed to be relatively hairless, right? But instead of seeing the majority of hairless areas on their bodies, they fixate on the places that seem so hairy all the time, so they imagine they must be hairier than others.

Most often, this is just natural worrying—your hairiness is not reflective of any major problems. However, if you are concerned about the level of hair density and location you are seeing, you might consider looking at the Ferriman-Gallwey scale. This clinical scale evaluates hairiness in nine different parts of the body (upper lip, chin, chest, stomach, pubic area, arms, thighs, upper back, and lower back) with a score from 1-4. Women scoring 9 or less are generally not recommended for evaluation of hormone anomalies. Women with a score of 10 or more are considered “hirsute” medically, and are generally recommended for some type of follow-up.

Whether you suffer from clinical or just cosmetic hairiness, laser hair removal is the recommended treatment for ease of removal and long results. The only area that is questionable for laser treatment for ture hirsutism sufferers is facial hair – for which a hair suppression cream like Vaniqa may be a better option.

During your consultation, we can also perform an evaluation of your hairiness and let you know whether you should consider seeing a doctor about possible hormonal problems.

To schedule your hair removal consultation, please contact La Jolla Cosmetic Laser Clinicin San Diego today for an appointment.