Excess facial or body hair: causes and what helps
Coarse, unwanted hair on the face, chest, or stomach is called hirsutism. It is a sign of high androgens, the male-type hormones that women make in small amounts.
Evidence-based · Sources cited · Updated July 2026
By far the most common cause of hirsutism is PCOS (now officially PMOS).[2] Getting androgen labs is the first move, since it tells you what is driving it. What helps most, roughly by evidence, is lowering androgens with a doctor's help, then lowering insulin, with spearmint tea and cosmetic options as add-ons. Expect slow change.
What is behind it
By far the most common cause is PCOS.[2] Other causes include an idiopathic form, where hormone tests come back normal, certain medications, and rarely an adrenal condition. Because the causes differ, it is worth getting androgen labs to see what is actually going on before treating.
What actually helps
Roughly in order of evidence: lowering androgens with a doctor's help works best. That means a combined pill, or an anti-androgen like spironolactone, which needs reliable contraception because it is unsafe in pregnancy.[1] Next, lowering insulin through diet and inositol, since insulin drives androgen production. Spearmint tea is a modest daily adjunct. And cosmetic options like laser hair removal handle the hair that is already there.
Set your expectations
Change is slow, because hair cycles take months to turn over. You will not see a difference in a week. Get the blood work first, start the right treatment, and give it time to show.
Not sure where you stand?
Take the 2-minute PCOS check. Get your likely pattern and the exact labs to ask your doctor for.
Take the PCOS checkKeep reading
Sources
- [1] 2023 International Evidence-Based Guideline for the Assessment and Management of PCOS. PMC10505534
- [2] Polycystic ovary syndrome, WHO fact sheet. who.int
This article is educational and is not medical advice. Talk to a clinician before starting, stopping, or combining treatments.