Does Progesterone Cream Work for Hirsutism?
What is Progesterone?
Progesterone is a hormone produced mainly by ovaries and also adrenal glands in females, and is found naturally in our bodies. It is a steroid hormone. Progesterone is used for hormone replacement therapy in post-menopausal women to fight against symptoms during and after menopause like hot flushes and irritability, and to protect heart and bone function. For women already on oral hormone replacement therapy or that take progesterone containing oral contraceptive (birth control) pills, progesterone cream should not be used unless advised by your doctor.
What Is Progesterone Cream and How Is It Made?
To produce progesterone, a compound called Diosgenin is extracted from naturally occurring substances like wild yam. From this Diosgenin, Progesterone is synthesized in laboratory. With specialized laboratory processes, “bio identical” progesterone is created, which has the identical chemical structure of progesterone which is produced in our body. Chemically formulated “bio identical” progesterone is incorporated into a cream base in the required concentration to produce a progesterone cream.
What Is Hirsutism?
Hirsutism is defined as development of male pattern hair growth in a woman. Increased amount of body hair which is dark and course is found in unwanted areas such as face, chest and back. The most common cause of hirsutism in women is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), which is a chronic hormonal condition that leads to symptoms such as weight gain, obesity, hair growth, acne, hair loss, anxiety and depression. The other reasons leading to hirsutism are androgen producing tumors which can occur in ovaries and adrenal glands, Cushing syndrome (where is an excess of the cortisol hormone), using certain medications which mimics action of testosterone, and a genetic (familial) predisposition. In some cases, there is no cause that can be identified, which is then caused “idiopathic Hirsutism”.
Hirsutism can be a very distressing problem for many women, as none of us want excessive growth of hair, especially on our faces. Women with less body and facial hair are considered more feminine in many cultures and ethnicities. Therefore many women with hirsutism can develop social anxiety or depression if the issue is not addressed properly. This is a condition which can be treated, so no one should suffer as a result of hirsutism.
Can Progesterone Cream Help Women with Hirsutism?
Women who are affected by hirsutism often have an excess amount of androgens, the “male” sex hormones, which leads to excess hair growth in a male pattern on the chin, chest, arms and legs, and back and buttocks.
According to science, progesterone only has a minimal effect on hair growth. Also, there is no scientific evidence for the use of progesterone cream for Hirsutism.
As with hirsutism there already is a hormonal imbalance in place, and you may perhaps also take hormonal birth control, it is questionable if a supplement that contains additional hormones will help or only add to the imbalance. If you’re still interested in taking Progesterone, make sure to talk to your doctor about it first.
