Does Lavender Oil Help with Hirsutism Symptoms?
Lavender oil is a popular home remedy with a myriad of uses. It can be used for cleaning, freshening the scent in your home, and helping with sleep. But can lavender oil also be used for treating hirsutism symptoms?
What Is Hirsutism?
Hirsutism is the medical term for male pattern hair growth in women. Some women experience a deepening of their voice, acne, an enlarged clitoris, and more muscle mass. While the symptoms of hirsutism don’t pose any additional health risk, there might me a more serious underlying cause, and also some women feel embarrassed by the excess hair, which can make them potentially psychologically damaging.
Causes of Hirsutism
Hirsutism is usually caused by a hormonal imbalance. Women have low levels of androgens in their bodies, but when the levels of androgens such as testosterone rise, it can cause growth of body hair in a typically male pattern. The hair is darker, and coarser than the usual body hair a woman experiences. It can appear on the face, back, shoulders, and chest.
In some cases, hirsutism is a symptom of another condition. PCOS, CAH, Cushing’s Syndrome, and thyroid problems can all cause hirsutism. It can also be a side effect of some medications or due to a tumor. In some cases, there is no known underlying cause for hirsutism, which is known as idiopathic hirsutism.
There are some risk factors for hirsutism. People who have a family history are more likely to experience hirsutism, as are people who are overweight. There is some evidence that women with Mediterranean, South Asian, or Middle Eastern ethnic background are more likely to experience hirsutism.
As Hirsutism can have serious conditions as underlying causes, it is important to discuss the issue with a doctor.
Treating Hirsutism
Hirsutism can be treated by some medications, but these medications usually do not remove the existing hair. The existing hair will need to be removed by some form of hair removal, such as shaving, laser hair removal, or depilatory creams.
Many women also look for natural supplements to treat hirsutism. What is the role of lavender oil for Hirsutism?
Is Lavender Oil Useful for Hirsutism?
There is a small first trial that had studied this exact question: A 2012 study found that the topical application of lavender oil and tea tree oil had significantly reduced the total hirsutism score, and the hair diameter of the participants who had mild idiopathic hirsutism. The participants applied a spray with both essential oils to the affected area twice a day for a three month period. The reduced total hirsutism score, and the reduction of the hair diameter means that lavender oil could be effective in reducing mild idiopathic hirsutism. However, note that it is a very small, early study and more scientific evidence is needed to have a definitive answer to this question.
Lavender Oil for Hair Removal
Many people find lavender oil is exceptionally useful for soothing any redness or irritation on the skin after using a hair removal method. Lavender oil is very soothing, healing, and is known to help reduce redness.
It shouldn’t be used undiluted on the skin, and should always be mixed with a carrier oil, or gel. Some people mix lavender oil with an aloe vera gel, which creates a very soothing, healing gel.
Organic Lavender Oil Vs. Non-Organic Lavender Oil
Some people wonder if they should use organic or non-organic lavender oil. Organic lavender oil is a little more expensive, but is it worth paying the extra cost.
Organic oils are made from certified organic oils, so there’s little to no use of pesticides or other chemicals. Lavender is a natural pest repellent, which means that most growers don’t use many pesticides, if any at all. Lavender essential oil is usually made using a steam distillation process, which exposes the lavender to extreme heats. Pesticides can’t survive in extreme heat, so it’s unlikely there would be any contamination.
Essentially, either organic, or non organic lavender oil is ok to use on your skin, so it’s personal choice. However, with some essential oils such as citrus oils, it may be better to make sure you use certified organic oils on your skin.
