Hirsutism

 Hirsutism affects women and sometimes men, since the rising of androgen causes a male pattern of body hair, sometimes excessive, particularly in locations where women normally do not develop terminal hair within their puberty (chest, abdomen, back and face) The medical term for excessive hair growth that affect both men and women is hyperthyroidism.

Hirsutism can start by either an increased level of androgens, the male hormones, or an oversensitivity of hair follicles to androgen. Hormones such as testosterone stimulate hair growth, increase size and boost the growth and pigmentation of hair. Other symptoms associated with a high level of male hormones include acne and deepening of the voice and increased muscle mass.
Growing evidence implicates high circulating levels of insulin in women for the development of hirsutism. This theory is speculated to be consistent with the observation that obese (and thus presumably insulin resistant hyperinsulinemic) women are at high risk of becoming hirsute. Further, treatments that lower insulin levels will lead to a reduction in hirsutism.
It is speculated that insulin, at high enough concentration, stimulates the ovarian theca cells to produce androgens. There may also be an effect of high levels of insulin to activate the insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-1) receptor in those same cells. Again, the result is increased androgen production.
The following may be some of the conditions that may increase a woman's normally low level of male hormones:

• Polycystic ovary syndrome, abbreviated PCOS, (the most common)
• Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, in turn mostly caused by 21-α hydroxylase deficiency
• Cushing's disease
• Stromal Hyperthecosis - in postmenopausal women
• Obesity: As there is peripheral conversion of androgens to estrogen in these patients, this is the same mechanism as polycystic ovary syndrome, PCOS.