Excessive hair (particularly in women) can be a symptom of a hormonal condition such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Sometimes excess hair growth has no identifiable cause; this tends to be more common in skin types from a Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and South Asian background. It can also be hereditary.
In women, excessive hair is often referred to as hirsutism. This is defined as hair in a male pattern; hair that is thick and dark, rather than finer and fairer. Hirsutism occurs when females produce an excess of male sex hormones called androgens, or are more sensitive to these hormones. All women produce androgens; it’s fluctuating levels which can cause problems.
