Issues Faced by Women With Hirsutism: State of the Science.

It has been well established in the literature that the presence of hirsutism not only diminishes quality of life for women but also has a psychological impact. This review will present quantitative findings, including the measurements used in various studies, as well as qualitative research pertaining to the issues faced by women with hirsutism and offer recommendations for further research and implications for practice. Research is sparse in the realm of studying women who have hirsute appearances but do not suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome. Future quality of life research does not need to necessarily exclude women with polycystic ovarian syndrome, but it does need to include women who suffer from idiopathic hirsutism. Further qualitative inquiry is also warranted.