Hirsutism is excessive hair growth in certain areas of the body. It’s a problem that mainly affects women.

It’s relatively common, although some women may find it embarrassing or distressing to live with.

It’s often a long-term problem, but there are a number of treatments that can help keep it under control.

Hirsutism is caused by an excess of male hormones called androgens in your body, or by your body being more sensitive to these hormones.

In many cases, it’s not clear why this happens. Some women just seem to develop extra hair growth as they get older, particularly after the menopause.