Hirsutism: evaluation and treatment

Hirsutism is a common clinical condition seen in female patients of all ages. It affects around 5-10% of the women and is a common presenting complaint in the dermatological out patient department for cosmetic reasons. The cause is mainly hyperandrogeneism, which may be ovarian or adrenal. It may be part of a rare metabolic syndrome, drug induced, or just idiopathic. Hirsutism has a huge psychosocial impact, especially in the young females. This article reviews the current evaluation guidelines and management of hirsutism.