Sunday, April 26, 2009

Some women have beards and mustaches...?

This is not uncommon, so I have noticed. My gf has them and she shaved...but she had ovarian cysts which later turned to cancer. The doctor said women with a lot of facial hair usually get ovarian cancer, as this is a symptom (something to do with the hormones).





If she has her ovaries removed, will her hormones regulate? I thought this would mess them up worse. Will she grow more hair or will she lose the facial hair? If she has chemo will she lose the hair and never grow it back??





Does anyone know, and has anyone else experienced this??

Some women have beards and mustaches...?
Hirsutism (the condition of having hair in places on your body where it doesn't normally grow, particularly in women) may be androgen dependent or androgen independent. From your description you are asking about the former, which relates to hormone levels and how certain hormones are processed. Some women have high levels of circulating androgens, and others have normal levels but hair follicles that are unusually sensitive to androgens. Ovarian cysts are often part of a syndrome known as PCOS, in which the ovaries may be studded with many cysts and produce excessive amounts of androgens. This leads to hirsuitism and perhaps other problems, but it is not known for certain at this time that this problem makes a woman more likely to get ovarian cancer. (And "usually" is far too strong a word to use when the research regarding this is still unclear.)





Removal of the ovaries is not the answer to hirsuitism, especially in a young woman. But if she had cancer, it is likely the only solution. Removing the ovaries will not regulate hormone levels, it will merely deprive her of estrogens and progesterone. That will not help the excess hair, because there are other sources for the androgens. Neither will chemo...she may (or may not) lose hair from that treatment, but it usually grows back.





Removal of the ovaries will only put her into instant menopause, and all the problems that would come with that. (Risks for osteoporosis, heart disease, and other problems of old age that result from low hormone levels.) They would be likely to offer hormone replacement therapy, however, to avoid these problems. Perhaps they would be able to find a regimen that would help the excess facial hair.
Reply:hair will grow again after around 6 months of chemo..thats what i know..thanx for me
Reply:I had Cancer 20 years ago I lost the hair on my head but it came back, I did get hair on my face but I use Nair and it first broke me out but it works good now have to use it about every two days
Reply:I have the same problem although have not gotten cancer as of yet (pray to god I never do).





The hair on her face IS due to hormonal problems she has too much testosterone in her body(at least that's what the doc told me) if she goes through chemo all hair will be gone but will eventually grow back. ALTHOUGH with her ovaries removed they will more than likely put her on a hormone patch, pill, or shot. Which will help with the hair growth and will more than likely cause it to stop(other than where she has already shaved the hair off she will need to get it laser removed if it bother her).


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