Hirsutism Treatment (Unwanted Hair): Q And A With Dr. Umer Mushtaq

Unwanted or excessive hair that grows on a woman’s body and face is the result of a condition called hirsutism. Hirsutism treatment is very important for the overall mental and physical health of a woman. All women have facial and body hair, but the hair is usually very fine and light in colour.

Hirsutism is male pattern hair growth in women, such as the face and lower abdomen.

Dr. Umar Mushtaq, one of the best dermatologists in Lahore, explain what causes male pattern hair growth in women. He has 12 years of experience and is a consultant dermatologist and laser specialist in King Edward Mayo Hospital, Lahore.

In this Q and A, he talks about hirsutism and how to treat it in the best possible way.

Q.1. What are the causes of hirsutism?

Unfortunately, hirsutism is becoming quite common these days. Cases of Hirsutism were rarely seen a decade or two ago. Well, the number one cause of hirsutism is PCOS or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. PCOS is a hormonal disorder/imbalance that ups the amount of male hormone, testosterone in women.

If you experience rapid weight gain, acne, irregular periods, male pattern hair growth on the face and intense hairfall, then you might have PCOS. And that could be causing your hirsutism.

Q.2. Can hirsutism be genetic?

Surely, hirsutism can definitely be genetic. If your family members are generally hairy, then you likely have a genetic link to hirsutism. We also consider family history while diagnosing this condition.

Hirsutism Treatment (Unwanted Hair) Video

Q.3. What are the risk factors of hirsutism?

Well, one of the most common risk factors is the rampant use of low quality made whitening creams. All of these commercially available whitening creams are heavily laden with steroids and heavy metals. When such creams are applied topically, they do create a temporary “glowing effect”, but its long term effects are extremely damaging.

I say this with a heavy heart, but I have seen patients who have damaged their skins to an irreversible stage. Excessive steroid use also causes hirsutism.

Lastly, never use any steroidal cream without the guidance of your doctor.

Q.4. Are home remedies safe?

You see self and home remedies have become so deep-seated in our culture that 90% of my patients lament to me that their self remedies have been ineffective. I just can’t stress this enough, that one has to be extremely careful when applying home or self remedies on the face.

God forbid, if any substance has an untoward effect that advances into an irreversible stage, then the doctor can’t do anything.

Q.5. What is the treatment of hirsutism?

Like I said before if PCOS is the reason for your hirsutism, then you need to get your internal hormonal balance in check before going further with treatments. After that is done, we look at the pattern and thickness of the hair growth to determine the course of treatment.

The gold standard treatment for hirsutism is the laser hair removal procedure. Unfortunately, many of the commercially available laser procedures are not FDA-approved. I see many china-important, cheap laser machines being used that are ultimately ineffective. Shockingly, even some salons and parlours are now providing hair removal procedures!

To counter these scams, I introduced Candela Gentlemax Pro Laser in Pakistan. Candela is a leading American laser company that develops and sells lasers for cosmetic use. Candela has the best laser machines and they are highly effective.

If you want to learn more about laser hair removal, then you can watch the full interview. If you want any unwanted hair removed, then consult a dermatologist.

Book an appointment with a top dermatologist through oladoc.com, or call our helpline at 042-3890-0939 for assistance to find the RIGHT professional for your concerns.