Temporary hair removal in patients with hirsutism: a clinical study

Women with facial hirsutism are burdened with hairs that often interfere with personal and work activities. Temporary hair removal is a major component in the management of hirsute patients. From a caseload of 1,000 patients, we submitted questionnaires to 271 and interviewed 135. We found that shaving was the most helpful and most frequently used temporary method. Judicious plucking can be helpful if tolerated, but care must be taken to avoid folliculitis, pigmentation, and scarring. Waxing and depilatories were used by less than 6 percent of patients on the face and by about 20 percent on other parts of the body. The avoidance of irritants and the use of hydrocortisone 1 percent cream are important in the management of any irritation due to hair removal techniques. Cosmetic coverups may be helpful.