Diagnosis and management of hirsutism

Hirsutism is a frequent medical complaint that usually results from relatively benign functional disorders including the polycystic ovary syndrome, which is the most frequent etiology. The essential tool for the diagnosis of hirsutism is a complete clinical history and physical examination, because functional causes begin peripubertally and progress slowly, whereas the very rare androgen-secreting neoplasms have a sudden onset and a rapid progression of hirsutism, and usually associate clinical signs of virilization and defeminization. In all cases, diagnosis requires quantification of hirsutism using the modified Ferriman-Gallwey score, measurement of circulating androgen concentrations, a detailed study of ovulatory function, and possibly an ovarian ultrasound. Treatment must consider not only amelioration of hirsutism but also treatment of the underlying etiology and of any metabolic associations. When caused by a functional disorder, treatment of hirsutism should be chronic and should include cosmetic as well as pharmacological interventions such as oral contraceptives and antiandrogens. For nonfunctional disorders, treatment should focus on solving the underlying etiology as hirsutism is usually responsive to the elimination of the source of androgen excess.