There's this thing about hormones, they do a lot of cool stuff. There's another thing about hormones, they can get whacked and do a lot of stuff that's not so cool.
Take, for example, testosterone. Now there's a mighty hormone for ya! It does all sorts of stalwart things, from growth spurts to bone maturation and density, it's pretty awesome on the cool hormone spectrum. Except for when it isn't.
Let me share with you when testosterone isn't on the cool side. When you're a female and either your ovaries or your adrenal glands go into overdrive. Did I just shock you? Didn't realize that women's bodies produce testosterone? Well, it's true. Here's a quickie biology lesson, ready? The menstrual cycle occurs in three phases: follicular, ovulatory, and luteal. There is a rise in testosterone during the third phase.
What happens when your testosterone launches into orbit? I mean, it's one thing to be at the top of the normal range (15-70 for adult women), but when your lab results come back with levels in the hundreds, it's kinda scary. Mine labs came back with a 133 -- gave a whole new meaning to Mr. Mom for me. (My attempt at humor, is it working?) Hair, lots and lots of hair in places you'd rather not have hair.
What I once wrote off a genetics - hairy feet, navel, inner thighs and quite a patch of fur on the back of my thighs - I now see in a completely different light. Yes, I was born to a tribe of mostly short, round, hairy people, and I accepted depilatories, hot wax, and laser hair removal as just a part of my heritage. But, here's the thing: I wasn't happy about the goatee I began sporting in my 40s. I'm not talking a few hairs sprouting here and there.
While laser treatments did remove a decent crop of facial hair, what the heck was going on with hair sprouting up in new locations? Okay, okay, enough of my hairy rant. You get the picture.
When seen as just a product of genetics, it's embarrassing. When seen as a by-product of a larger system malfunctioning, it's alarming. If anyone can jump at an alarm, it's me. Searching the interwebs for anything and everything I could find on high testosterone levels in women was the first place to which I jumped.
Guess what I found? There's a label for unwanted hair cropping up all over my body: hirsutism. Sadly, labeling the condition didn't make it magically disappear. Yet, it did connect me to other information and I began compiling a more comprehensive list of potentially related symptoms. Which is a good thing, right?
Related Links
- Hirsutism and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
- Hirsutism Basics Genetics vs. Hormones
- Hirsutism Symptom Checker
- Testosterone Levels by Age and Sex
- Women in Balance Hormone 101
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