What is hirsutism?
Hirsutism is the medical term for excess hair growth in a male-type pattern — coarse, dark (terminal) hair appearing on areas like the upper lip, chin, chest, stomach or back, where women typically have fine or no hair. It's one of the more visible signs of PCOS, driven by the same higher androgen levels behind PCOS acne and scalp thinning.
What counts as hirsutism, and the PCOS link
The key distinction is terminal hair — thick and dark — in a male-type distribution, rather than the fine hair most people have. What counts as excess varies between individuals and backgrounds. The NHS lists excessive hair growth among the main symptoms of PCOS, where it reflects higher androgen activity. Clinicians sometimes score it with a tool called the Ferriman–Gallwey scale, but that's for them to apply in a consultation — there's no need to self-score at home.
Why a record matters here
Because hair growth changes slowly and removal hides it day to day, it's hard to convey in a short appointment. A dated severity record, with a note of where it's worst, shows your GP both how much it affects you and whether it's stable or progressing. That context helps them decide whether to look at androgen levels, consider referral, or review with you over time — and it keeps later appointments comparable. Record it on the basis of how it is before removal, so the log reflects growth rather than your routine; consistency over months is what makes it useful, and the diary is there to remember the trend so you don't have to.
PCOS Diary logs hirsutism severity in one tap, area by area, and turns months of entries into a doctor-ready PDF for your GP.
Common questions
- Is any facial or body hair hirsutism?
- No. Hirsutism refers to excess coarse, dark hair in a male-type pattern, and what counts as excess varies between people and backgrounds. If hair growth is new, increasing or distressing — especially alongside irregular periods — it's worth raising with your GP.
- Should I score myself on the Ferriman–Gallwey scale?
- There's no need. That scale is a clinician's tool used in a consultation. At home, a simple severity log of how it is and where is more practical and just as useful for the conversation.
- How do I raise this with a GP when removal hides it day to day?
- Describe it as it is before removal, and name the areas. 'Coarse dark hair has been increasing on my chin and upper lip over the past year, and I'm shaving most days to manage it' tells a GP both the pattern and the impact in one go — far clearer than letting them judge from skin that's freshly removed on the morning of a ten-minute appointment.