Both men and women have circulating estrogens and androgens, and androgens are important in reproductive function even in healthy women. Familial hirsutism is hereditary and is particularly common in certain ethnic groups, especially those of Middle Eastern or Mediterranean decent. By contrast most Asians and Native Americans have relatively little terminal hair. If a woman s mother and sister have hirsutism, she may be more prone to also developing excess hair growth. In many of these individuals, the excess hair growth is considered normal and not a sign of a disorder.
Idiopathic hirsutism is hirsutism that results without any known underlying medical condition.
This occurs in patients without any evidence of hormone imbalances, underlying disease, or a family history of hirsutism. Most of these individuals probably have enzyme systems in the hair follicle which make their hair cells more sensitive to normal levels of circulating androgens. Drug induced hirsutism is not common, but some prescription drugs can cause hirsutism in women. Some of the anti-seizure medications used to treat epilepsy, anabolic steroids, and some immunosuppressant drugs are also associated with excess hair growth in women. A careful medical history should be able to determine if drug-induced hirsutism may be a consideration for any individual patient.