The impact of the presence of hirsutism and hypertrichosis on the psychological state of women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome and hyperandrogenism

Martyna  Szymanska; Beata  Nowak; Karolina  Krupa-Kotara; Katarzyna  Barylska; Mateusz Grajek

doi:10.59400/apr.v3i2.1293

The impact of the presence of hirsutism and hypertrichosis on the psychological state of women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome and hyperandrogenism

Martyna Szymanska Department of Public Health, Department of Public Health in Bytom, Silesian Medical University in Katowice, 41-902 Bytom, Poland
Beata Nowak Department of Public Health, Department of Public Health in Bytom, Silesian Medical University in Katowice, 41-902 Bytom, Poland
Karolina Krupa-Kotara Department of Public Health, Department of Public Health in Bytom, Silesian Medical University in Katowice, 41-902 Bytom, Poland
Katarzyna Barylska Department of Public Health, Department of Public Health in Bytom, Silesian Medical University in Katowice, 41-902 Bytom, Poland
Mateusz Grajek Department of Public Health, Department of Public Health in Bytom, Silesian Medical University in Katowice, 41-902 Bytom, Poland

Ariticle ID: 1293

172 Views, 89 PDF Downloads

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59400/apr.v3i2.1293

Keywords: hirsutism; hypertrichosis; polycystic ovary syndrome; hyperandrogenism; mental status

Abstract

This review article focuses on analyzing the impact of excessive hairiness, in the form of hirsutism and hypertrichosis, on the psychological state of women affected by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and hyperandrogenism. PCOS is one of the most common endocrine disorders in women, characterized by hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance and menstrual disorders, among others. Studies suggest that excessive body hair can have a significant impact on the quality of life and psychological state of PCOS patients, leading to lowered self-esteem, depression, anxiety and body dysmorphophobia. Despite numerous clinical observations, however, a complete understanding of the mechanisms underlying this association is lacking. The article underscores the need for further research to identify the biological and psychological mechanisms affecting the psychological state of women with excessive body hair in the context of PCOS and hyperandrogenism. As progress is made in this area, it will be possible to develop more effective management strategies and therapeutic interventions that can help improve the quality of life for these patients.

References

Alijanpour, R. (2016). The effect of topical finasteride 0.5% on the outcome of diode laser therapy in the treatment of excess facial hair in the women with hirsutism. J. Pak. Med. Assoc, 66(9), 1107–1110.

Andrzejczak, S. (2020). Hirsutism as a cosmetic problem [PhD thesis]. Jagiellonian University.

Besenek, M., & Gurlek, B. (2020). Hyperandrogenism in polycystic ovary syndrome affects psychological well‐being of adolescents. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research, 47(1), 137–146. https://doi.org/10.1111/jog.14444

Błaszczyk, K. (2018). The role of selected adipokines in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) [PhD thesis]. Jagiellonian University.

Bumbuliene, Z., & Alisauskas, J. (2009). Diagnosis and treatment of hirsutism in girls. Gynecology Poland, 80, 374–378.

Ekbäck, M., Wijma, K., & Benzein, E. (2009). “It Is Always on My Mind”: Women’s Experiences of Their Bodies When Living With Hirsutism. Health Care for Women International, 30(5), 358–372. https://doi.org/10.1080/07399330902785133

Elsenbruch, S., Benson, S., Hahn, S., et al. (2006). Determinants of emotional distress in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Human Reproduction, 21(4), 1092–1099. https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/dei409

Farkas, J., Rigó, A., & Demetrovics, Z. (2013). Psychological aspects of the polycystic ovary syndrome. Gynecological Endocrinology, 30(2), 95–99. https://doi.org/10.3109/09513590.2013.852530

Franks, S. (2008). Polycystic ovary syndrome in adolescents. International Journal of Obesity, 32(7), 1035–1041. https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2008.61

Himelein, M. J., & Thatcher, S. S. (2006). Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Mental Health: A Review. Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey, 61(11), 723–732. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ogx.0000243772.33357.84

Imko-Walczuk, B., Cegielska, A., & Glombiowska, M. (2012). Changes in hair distribution in postmenopausal women. Dermatology Review/Dermatology Review, 99(1), 62–67.

Inoue, Y., Nishioka, H., Inukai, M., et al. (2024). What are the Factors That Induce Paradoxical Hypertrichosis After Laser Hair Removal? Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 44(5), NP347–NP353. https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjae018

Katulski, K., & Meczekalski, B. (2011). Objective assessment of hyperandrogenism and modern ideas on PCOS treatment. Archives of Perinatal Medicine, 17, 210–216.

Keegan, A., Liao, L.-M., & Boyle, M. (2003). ‘Hirsutism’: A Psychological Analysis. Journal of Health Psychology, 8(3), 327–345. https://doi.org/10.1177/13591053030083004

Kłosowski, P., Świątkowska-Stodulska, R., Berlińska, A., et al. (2017). Hyperandrogenism in postmenopausal women. Forum of Family Medicine, 11(5), 195–208.

Kruk, J. (2021). A dietary strategy for the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Journal of NutriLife, 2.

Kurek, G., & Babiarczyk, B. (2017). Bio-psycho-social problems of women of reproductive age with polycystic ovary syndrome. Polish Review of Health Sciences, 50(1), 7–15.

Mallat, F., Chaaya, C., Aoun, M., et al. (2023). Adverse Events of Light-Assisted Hair Removal: An Updated Review. Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, 27(4), 375–387. https://doi.org/10.1177/12034754231174852

Marszalec, P. (2021). Analysis of the influence of an anti-inflammatory diet with a low glycemic index on the course and treatment of hyperandrogenism in women of reproductive age [PhD thesis]. Jagiellonian University.

Morgan, J., Scholtz, S., Lacey, H., et al. (2008). The prevalence of eating disorders in women with facial hirsutism: An epidemiological cohort study. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 41(5), 427–431. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.20527

Mrozińska, S., Kiałka, M., Doroszewska, K., et al. (2015). Hyperandrogenemia of ovarian origin in a postmenopausal woman with associated adrenal adenoma-a case report. Medical Review, 72(7), 387–390.

Nowicki, R., Trzeciak, M., Kaczmarski, M., et al. (2019). Atopic dermatitis. Interdisciplinary diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations of the Polish Dermatological Society, Polish Society of Allergology, Polish Pediatric Society and Polish Society of Family Medicine. Part I. Prophylaxis, topical treatment and phototherapy. Dermatology Review, 106(4), 354–374. https://doi.org/10.5114/dr.2019.88253

Otlewska, A., Hackemer, P., & Menzel, F. (2018). Hirsutism. Pediatria i Medycyna Rodzinna, 14(4), 392–395. https://doi.org/10.15557/pimr.2018.0050

Predota, A., & Imko-Walczuk, B. (2012). Eflornithine-new possibilities in treatment of hirsutism and hypertrichosis. Dermatology Review/Dermatological Review, 99(6), 701–706.

Rodriguez-Paris, D., Remlinger-Molenda, A., Kurzawa, R., et al. (2019). Psychosexual disorders in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Psychiatr Pol, 53(4), 955–966. https://doi.org/10.12740/PP/OnlineFirst/93105

Rosenfield, R. L. (2005). Hirsutism. New England Journal of Medicine, 353(24), 2578–2588. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmcp033496

Sadeeqa, S., Mustafa, T., & Latif, S. (2018). Polycystic ovarian syndrome-related depression in adolescent girls: A Review. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences, 10(2), 55–59. https://doi.org/10.4103/JPBS.JPBS_1_18

Saleh, D., Yarrarapu, S. N. S., & Cook, C. (2024). Hypertrichosis. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.

Scaruffi, E., Franzoi, I. G., Civilotti, C., et al. (2018). Body image, personality profiles and alexithymia in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology, 40(4), 294–303. https://doi.org/10.1080/0167482x.2018.1530210

Snast, I., Kaftory, R., Lapidoth, M., et al. (2021). Paradoxical Hypertrichosis Associated with Laser and Light Therapy for Hair Removal: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 22(5), 615–624. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40257-021-00611-w

Sowińska-Przepiera, E., Niedzielska, M., Syrenicz-Maciąg, I., et al. (2018). Hyperandrogenism in women as a clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic problem. Medical Review, 75(8), 405–410.

Stuła, M., Bartholomew, S., & Gawry’s, J. (2019). Effect of oral contraceptives on skin condition. Aesthetic Cosmetology, 8(1), 65–71.

Tłuszcz, K. (2020). Quality of life in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and infertility [PhD thesis]. Jagiellonian University.

Trent, M., Austin, S. B., Rich, M., et al. (2005). Overweight Status of Adolescent Girls With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Body Mass Index as Mediator of Quality of Life. Ambulatory Pediatrics, 5(2), 107–111. https://doi.org/10.1367/a04-130r.1

Trzęsowska-Greszta, E., Jastrzębski, J., Sikora, R., et al. (2017). Level of depression in women with impaired procreation vs. stress coping style and psychological gender. Scientific Quarterly Fides et Ratio, 29(1), 191–215.

Vedak, P. (2022). Hair and nail conditions: Hypertrichosis and hirsutism. FP Essent, 517, 22–26.

Wertheim, K., Sobczyńska-Tomaszewska, A., & Bal, J. (2007). Search for the etiopathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (Polish). Ginekologia polska, 78(8), 626–631.

Zdonek, A. (2013). The Clinical manifestations and pharmacotherapy options for policystic ovary syndrome [PhD thesis]. Jagiellonian University.

Ziółkowska, B., & Wróbel, P. (2020). Body image and sense of quality of life in young women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Developmental Psychology, 28(1), 101-113.

Published

2024-07-22

How to Cite

Szymanska, M., Nowak, B., Krupa-Kotara, K., Barylska, K., & Grajek, M. (2024). The impact of the presence of hirsutism and hypertrichosis on the psychological state of women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome and hyperandrogenism. Applied Psychology Research, 3(2), 1293. https://doi.org/10.59400/apr.v3i2.1293

Download Citation

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 2 (2024)

Section

Review

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Editor-in-Chief

Prof. Giuseppe Lanza

Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Italy

eISSN

3029-276X

Publication Frequency

Semi-annual

About the Publisher

Academic Publishing insists on taking academic exchange and publication as the main line, carrying out comprehensive management based on science and technology, and fully exploring excellent international publishing resources. Within 5 years, it will form a strategic framework and scale with science (S), technology (T), medicine (M), education (E), and humanities and arts (H) as the main publishing fields. Academic Publishing is headquartered in Singapore and based in Malaysia, with the United States and China providing the main scientific and academic resources. At the same time, it has established long-term good cooperative relations with other publishing companies, scientific research communities, and academic organizations in more than a dozen countries and regions. Academic Publishing uses English and Chinese as its main publishing languages, mainly publishing books, journals, and conference papers in print and online. The vast majority of publications follow the international open access policy, providing stable and long-term quality and professional publications. With the joint efforts of the expert team and our professional editorial team, our publications will gradually be indexed by international databases in stages to provide convenient and professional retrieval for various scholars. At the same time, manuscripts we accept will be subject to the peer review principle, and cutting-edge and innovative research articles will be preferentially accepted for peer reference and discussion. All kinds of our publications are welcome for peer to contribute, access, and download.

more

Volume Arrangement

2024

2023

2022

Featured Articles

A comprehensive review (1963–2024) of environmental psychology: Trends, themes, and future directions

Multidisciplinary environmental psychology studies the dynamic link between humans and their natural and manmade settings. This thorough study synthesises 443 works from 1963 to 2024 on topics such as physical surroundings’ effects on behaviour, environmental stressors, pro-environmental behaviour, and applying psychological theories to environmental interactions. This literature is synthesised to identify patterns, themes, and future directions. Growing environmental concerns and the need for sustainable development have changed the profession. Green areas have been demonstrated to boost mental health and reduce stress. Nature helps mental exhaustion recuperation. Hospitals and workplaces’ design and structure affect health and productivity. Walkable, green urban development improves citizens’ well-being and promotes sustainable living. Environmental stresses including noise, pollution, and overpopulation harm mental and physical health. Children exposed to noise pollution are more likely to develop cardiovascular illness and cognitive deficits. Anxiety and despair caused by climate change are also becoming more apparent. Pro-environmental behaviour is emphasised, with notions like planned behaviour and community-based social marketing working. Behaviour interventions using social norms and feedback have decreased energy and waste. Personal values-driven intrinsic motivation promotes long-term behavioural change better than extrinsic incentive. Environmental psychology uses surveys, experiments, and mixed-methods research. Virtual and augmented reality provide for environmental simulations and psychological studies. Good health and well-being, excellent education, sustainable cities, responsible consumerism, climate action, and living on land are among the field’s major contributions to the UNSDGs. Environmental psychology will help establish sustainable and healthy settings that correspond with the UNSDGs as environmental issues grow.

The impact of the menstrual cycle on emotions and behavior—A review of current research

The menstrual cycle has attracted the interest of many researchers for many years. It is analyzed from many angles, including its impact on mental health. Hormonal changes over the course of the cycle have a very strong impact on the emotions, needs, or pain experienced. Estrogen, secreted shortly before ovulation, influences increased confidence and feelings of attractiveness, which can lead to new relationships. In contrast, progesterone, secreted during the luteal phase, promotes the strengthening of stable relationships, and a large proportion of women may experience premenstrual syndrome (PMS) during this time. This publication discusses studies from recent years that have assessed the variability of women’s needs and emerging symptoms during different phases of the cycle. It also summarizes any strategies and practical tips needed to work with women considering their cyclical variability.

Testing social impact and self-attention predictions with live audiences and co-actors

This experiment examined the influences of number of co-actors and audience size on manual dexterity task performance and subjective reactions such as perceived effort and arousal. Predictions derived from social impact theory and the self-attention perspective’s other-total ratio indicated that both number of co-actors and audience size should influence responses. Undergraduate students (N = 128) responded as 1, 2, 4, or 8 group members who were observed in counterbalanced fashion by 1, 2, 4, or 8 audience members for four performance trials. The predictions of increased task performance with larger audience sizes and decreased performance as number of co-actors increased were not supported. Participants’ rated arousal was somewhat consistent with the predictions from the self-attention perspective and social impact theory. Self-reported effort was consistent with the predicted patterns, but not always significantly so. The influence of number of others is moderated by the objective-subjective nature of responses of real co-actors performing in front of live audiences.

Manifesting the academic psychological contract

The level of research undertaken on the academic psychological contract, and its influence on academics’ behaviour is limited. This paper seeks to consider the academic psychological contract, by reviewing its manifestation within the role and the influence on their undertaking of the role. Particularly important is academics’ interpretation of the role and what they consider important. Within this, the paper considers in-role and extra-role activities and what may be the grey areas in which time is spent. The research adopts the combined usage of phenomenology with interpretivist processes to investigate the insights of eighteen academics at nine UK University Business Schools. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data to consider the constructs’ manifestation. Key aspects of behaviour were identified as discretionary effort autonomy and managerialism, with links to academic citizenship.