Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 16, 2026

Collecting Hair Samples for Hair Cortisol Analysis in African Americans
Published on: June 10, 2018
Women self-perception of excess hair growth, as a predictor of clinical hirsutism: a population-based study
H Kazemi1, F Ramezani Tehrani, S Minooee
1Reproductive Endocrinology Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, No 24, Parvaneh Street, Yaman Street, Velenjak, 19395-4763, Tehran, Iran, kazemijaliseh@gmail.com.
Purpose:
Hirsutism is the most common indicator of hyperandrogenism. Both, the sensitivity of the patients to the serum androgen levels and the responsiveness of women to the perceived excess hair growth vary among different populations. This report elaborates the relationship between the woman's discerned abnormal hair growths with the clinical diagnosis of hirsutism.
Methods:
The survey was conducted among 1160 women aged 18-45 and randomly selected from Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study for further detailed assessment of Hirsutism; using the m-FG scoring method. Data gathering was performed by interviews and physical examinations. The receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn and the new cutoff value, sensitivity, specificity and concordance percentage were calculated.
Results:
The results demonstrated that among 12 androgen-dependent body areas, the chin skin had the highest area under curve of 0.81 (CI; 0.78-0.84). According to the patient's evaluation, a threshold point of 4 had the optimum concordance percentage of 0.77 with the modified Ferriman-Gallwey scoring system.
Conclusions:
Patient's self-identification of excess terminal hair based on the chin area has great sensitivity and reliability in predicting the clinical hirsutism.
Related Concept Videos
Accessory Structures of the Skin: Hair Growth and Types
Accessory Structures of the Skin: Hair and Hair Follicles
Hair is a keratinous filament growing out of the epidermis. It is primarily made of dead, keratinized cells. Hair strands originate at the epidermal penetration called the hair follicle. The hair shaft is the part...
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Multipotency and Niche of Bulge Stem Cell
Disorders of the Female Reproductive System
Hypodermis

