Short answer: Yes, what counts as “normal” facial and body hair depends partly on your ancestry, and doctors take this into account. The Endocrine Society’s 2018 guideline uses a Ferriman-Gallwey score of 8 or more to define hirsutism in Black and white women in the US and UK, 9-10 or more for Mediterranean, Hispanic and Middle Eastern women, and anywhere from 2 to 7 for different groups of Asian women. The 2023 International PCOS guideline simplifies this to a score of 4-6 or more, depending on ethnicity. These cutoffs are rough guides, and hair that bothers you, or comes with irregular periods, is worth discussing whatever your score.
If you have ever compared your upper lip or chin with friends or family and wondered whether you are “too hairy,” you are not alone. Body hair varies a lot between people, and part of that variation follows family and ancestry. This article explains how doctors adjust for that, where the numbers come from, and why they are less precise than they look.
A note on language: Research papers group women by ancestry or by country, using labels such as “Han Chinese” or “Black American.” We use the labels from each study so you can see exactly who was measured. They describe populations studied, not how any individual looks, and your own family is a better guide than a category.
Does facial and body hair really vary by ethnicity?
Yes. The Androgen Excess and PCOS Society’s 2012 consensus statement says that terminal hair growth (the coarse, dark hair that hirsutism is about) has substantial racial and ethnic variability, and that the cutoff for hirsutism should ideally be set for the population being tested.[3]
Studies disagree on whether hirsutism itself is more common in some groups:
- The AE-PCOS Society reports hirsutism in about 10% of women in most populations, ranging from 4.3% to 10.8% in Black and white women, with the important exception of women of Far-East Asian descent, where it is less common.[3]
- The 2023 International PCOS guideline concludes that the prevalence of hirsutism appears similar across ethnicities, while the amount of hair may differ.[2]
- A US study of 633 women having pre-employment checkups found no significant difference in hair growth between Black and white women.[4]
- The British Association of Dermatologists says hirsutism is more common in women of Mediterranean or Middle Eastern descent.[5]
The honest summary: The amount of hair that is typical clearly differs between populations, but whether true hirsutism is more common in some groups depends on how it is defined. For the overall numbers, see our hirsutism statistics.
What Ferriman-Gallwey score is normal for my ethnicity?
The answer depends on which guideline your doctor follows. The modified Ferriman-Gallwey (mFG) score rates hair on 9 body areas from 0 to 4, for a total of 0 to 36. Our guide to the Ferriman-Gallwey score explains how it works. The two main guidelines use these cutoffs:
| Population | Score that suggests hirsutism | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Black or white women in the US and UK | 8 or more | Endocrine Society, 2018[1] |
| Mediterranean, Hispanic and Middle Eastern women | 9-10 or more | Endocrine Society, 2018[1] |
| South American women | 6 or more | Endocrine Society, 2018[1] |
| Asian women | From 2 or more (Han Chinese) to 7 or more (Southern Chinese) | Endocrine Society, 2018[1] |
| All women, adjusted for ethnicity | 4-6 or more | International PCOS guideline, 2023[2] |
The Endocrine Society explains that doctors commonly define hirsutism as a score above the 95th percentile for the population, meaning more hair than 95 out of 100 women in that group.[1] Where no local data exist, the AE-PCOS Society suggests using 8 or more for white and Black women and a lower cutoff for women from East and Southeast Asia.[3]
What newer research shows
The largest study so far, published in 2025, pooled data from 9,829 women aged 18 to 45 in 8 countries who were not selected because of hair or hormone problems. Using a statistical method that looks for natural groupings in the scores, it found these cutoffs:[6]
| Group studied (2025 study) | Score that suggests hirsutism |
|---|---|
| White Iranian | 8 or more |
| White Italian, Black African | 7 or more |
| Han Chinese, Black American, white Russian, Turkish | 5 or more |
| Korean, Asian Russian, mixed Russian, white American | 4 or more |
| All groups combined | 7 or more |
The authors concluded that a cutoff of 4 to 6 fits most populations, in line with the 2023 guideline, with a few exceptions.[6] A separate study of 2,988 women from the general population in Guangdong, China, found that about 10% scored 5 or more, which the authors treated as outside the norm.[7]
Why do the cutoffs for the same group disagree?
Cutoffs differ because studies use different methods, recruit women in different places and score hair differently, so an ethnic label is only a rough proxy. Some examples:
- For white American women, the traditional cutoff is 8, but the 2025 study found 4.[1], [6]
- Two studies of Spanish women found 95th percentile cutoffs of 8 and 10, and two studies of Turkish women found 9 and 11.[3]
- Among Hispanic women, studies found a cutoff of 6 in Chile and 10 in Mexico.[3]
- Among Chinese women, studies found cutoffs of 2 (Han Chinese) and 5 (Guangdong), while the 2018 guideline cites 7 for Southern Chinese women.[3], [7], [1]
Part of the problem is method. The 95th percentile approach assumes 5% of women in every population have excess hair, while the 2025 study used a clustering method instead.[1], [6] And a US study of 633 unselected women found no natural cutoff at all: Most women scored below 2, and the top 22% scored 3 or more.[4]
Why does “normal” depend on your family and ancestry?
Normal depends on family and ancestry because hair follicles respond differently to the same hormones. The Endocrine Society explains that how sensitive a follicle is depends partly on how the skin processes androgens, including how much testosterone it converts into the stronger hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT).[1] This sensitivity varies between people, which is why two women with the same hormone levels can have very different amounts of hair.[1]
Family history matters in a second way. The AE-PCOS Society notes that a family history of androgen excess is common in women with hirsutism.[3] If your mother and sisters have similar hair and no other symptoms, that is reassuring context for your doctor. Read more in is hirsutism hereditary.
Ancestry can also change which tests make sense. Non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia, an inherited adrenal condition that causes hirsutism, is found in 5% to 10% of women with androgen excess in the Middle East, compared with 1% to 2% among US white and Hispanic women, and is much more common in Ashkenazi Jewish populations, according to the Endocrine Society.[1]
What are the limits of the Ferriman-Gallwey score?
The mFG score is useful but imprecise, and it was never designed with global populations in mind. Its main limits:
- It started in one population. The scale is based on a method described in the UK in 1961. The usual cutoff of 8 came from the observation that only 4.3% of the UK women studied scored that high.[3], [8]
- It is subjective. A 2010 review calls visual scoring “semi-quantitative at best” with significant differences between observers.[8]
- It can miss facial hair. Because it adds up hair across the body, a woman with dense hair on the chin and little elsewhere may stay below the cutoff.[3]
- Hair removal hides hair. Shaving, waxing or laser before the exam lowers the score, so tell your doctor what you remove and how often.[3], [2]
- Fine hair can be miscounted. The 2023 guideline warns that hirsutism can be overestimated if light vellus hair is not told apart from coarse terminal hair.[2]
How should you use this for your own self-check?
Use the cutoffs as a starting point, not a verdict. The 2023 International PCOS guideline says women’s own assessment of unwanted hair has a high degree of validity and deserves careful evaluation.[2] In a 2024 Brazilian study of 188 women, self-scoring caught 95% of women whom doctors scored as hirsute, but it also flagged many women whom doctors did not, so a high self-score is a reason to get checked, not a diagnosis.[9]
- Score yourself with our hirsutism self-check, ideally after a few weeks without hair removal.
- Compare your score with the cutoff that best matches your background, keeping in mind that the 2023 guideline range of 4-6 is now widely used.
- Think about your family. Hair that matches your mother’s or sisters’ pattern, with regular periods and no other symptoms, is less concerning.
- Look at the whole picture: Irregular periods, acne, scalp hair thinning or a sudden change matter more than a single number.
- If the hair bothers you, that counts. The Endocrine Society talks about “patient-important” hirsutism, meaning hair that matters to you, and suggests testing androgens in women with an abnormal score.[1]
For context on what is typical, see how much facial hair is normal for a woman. One practical note on skin tone: For women with darker skin, the Endocrine Society suggests long-wavelength lasers (Nd:YAG or diode) with skin cooling, and for women of Mediterranean or Middle Eastern background with facial hirsutism, it suggests topical treatment or electrolysis over light-based hair removal.[1]
When should you see a doctor?
See a doctor if unwanted hair bothers you, especially with irregular periods, whatever your background.[11] Get an urgent appointment if thick, dark hair suddenly starts growing on your face or body, or your voice gets deeper.[11] Rapidly worsening hair, an enlarged clitoris, or periods that become irregular or stop are also red flags, regardless of your ethnicity.[1] PMOS (formerly PCOS), the condition renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome in 2026, is the most common cause of hirsutism.[10], [11]
Frequently asked questions
Are some ethnicities naturally hairier?
Typical amounts of facial and body hair differ between populations, which is why cutoffs differ.[3] Cutoffs are lower for women of East and Southeast Asian descent and higher for Mediterranean and Middle Eastern women.[3], [1] Within any group, individual variation is large.
What mFG score is normal for South Asian or Black women?
For Black women in the US and UK, the Endocrine Society uses 8 or more, the same as for white women, and a US study found no difference in hair growth between the two groups.[1], [4] The 2025 international study found 5 for Black American and 7 for Black African women.[6] We could not find a widely accepted cutoff for women of South Asian ancestry in the guidelines we reviewed, so the 2023 guideline’s general range of 4-6 is a reasonable reference to discuss with your doctor.[2]
Can I have hirsutism if my score is below the cutoff for my ethnicity?
Yes. The AE-PCOS Society points out that hair can be concentrated in a few areas, such as the face, without the total score passing the cutoff, and that even mild hirsutism can affect wellbeing.[3] Hair removal before the exam can also make your score look lower than it is.[2]
Why did my doctor say my facial hair is normal for my background?
Doctors compare your hair with what is typical in similar populations, because cutoffs vary.[1] If your periods are regular and your hormone tests are normal, the hair may be within your normal range, or you may have idiopathic hirsutism (hirsutism with normal hormones). Either way, you can still choose to treat it if it bothers you.[1]
Key takeaways
- Typical facial and body hair varies between populations, so hirsutism cutoffs vary by ethnicity.
- The Endocrine Society uses mFG cutoffs from 2 to 10 depending on the group; the 2023 international guideline uses 4-6.
- Studies of the same ethnic group often disagree, so ethnic cutoffs are rough guides rather than exact limits.
- The mFG score was developed in the UK, is subjective, can miss facial hair and is lowered by hair removal.
- Your family pattern, your periods and how much the hair bothers you matter as much as your score.
Sources
- Martin KA, Anderson RR, Chang RJ, et al. Evaluation and Treatment of Hirsutism in Premenopausal Women: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2018;103(4):1233-1257. PubMed 29522147
- Teede HJ, Tay CT, Laven JJE, et al. Recommendations From the 2023 International Evidence-based Guideline for the Assessment and Management of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2023;108(10):2447-2469. PubMed 37580314
- Escobar-Morreale HF, Carmina E, Dewailly D, et al. Epidemiology, diagnosis and management of hirsutism: a consensus statement by the Androgen Excess and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Society. Hum Reprod Update. 2012;18(2):146-170. PubMed 22064667
- DeUgarte CM, Woods KS, Bartolucci AA, Azziz R. Degree of facial and body terminal hair growth in unselected black and white women: toward a populational definition of hirsutism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;91(4):1345-1350. PubMed 16449347
- British Association of Dermatologists. Hirsutism (BAD Patient Hub). Accessed October 2026. Link
- Bizuneh AD, Joham AE, Tay CT, et al. The PCOS Phenotype in Unselected Populations study: ethnic variation in population-based normative cut-offs for defining hirsutism. Eur J Endocrinol. 2025;192(3):228-239. PubMed 40036973
- Wong M, Zhao X, Hong Y, Yang D. Semiquantitative assessment of hirsutism in 850 PCOS patients and 2,988 controls in China. Endokrynol Pol. 2014;65(5):365-370. Link
- Yildiz BO, Bolour S, Woods K, Moore A, Azziz R. Visually scoring hirsutism. Hum Reprod Update. 2010;16(1):51-64. PubMed 19567450
- Oliveira TF, Oliveira TF, Santana DC, Rocha ALL, Cândido AL, Comim FV. Comparison of self-assessed and clinician-assessed hirsutism diagnosed according to the modified Ferriman-Gallwey scale among female outpatients in Brazil. Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2024;68:e230271. Link
- Teede HJ, Bahri Khomami M, Morman R, et al. Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, the new name for polycystic ovary syndrome: a multistep global consensus process. Lancet. 2026;407(10545):2329-2339. PubMed 42119588
- NHS. Excessive hair growth (hirsutism). Accessed October 2026. Link
This article is for education and is not medical advice. Talk to a doctor about diagnosis and treatment.