Excessive body hair or Hirsutism

Dear Ask The Doctor: Hi i was just wondering if there was any medication i could go on to help control the amount of body hair i have. I am a 16yr old female and i have noticable hair above my lip, my chin, side burns, stomach, back, breasts and arms. The hair isn't that thick but is dark and makes me feel self conscious. I also have fairly irregular periods they usually come between every 19-24 days.

Dear Tenille: The presence of excessive hair may be due to increased amounts of androgen in the body or due to increased sensitivity of the body to normal amounts of androgen. Changes in these hormone levels may also be responsible for irregular periods. You may consult a doctor and take the test for measurement of the androgen levels in your body. Treatment of the cause may help control the excessive growth of hair.