Custom BlendsFor males, having a healthy amount of facial and body hair is often seen as a desirable trait across different cultures. It is part of what gives men their masculine characteristics and attracts members of the opposite sex. Women on the other hand generally have little to no facial and body hair and typically incorporate shaving, tweezing or waxing into their grooming routine to manage the growth and visibility of hair.
There is however a significant population of women who experience excessive growth of facial and body hair which can be embarrassing and even socially inhibiting. It is a very common side effect of androgen overproduction in women. The official medical term for this condition is referred to “hirsutism” and it is defined as abnormal amounts of facial and body hair growth in women. Women with androgen-dominant PCOS make up a significant part of this group.
PCOS is a hormonal disorder that is characterized by the presence of multiple cysts in one or the two ovaries of a woman. PCOS is as well characterized by a lot of hormonal imbalances including an excess of male hormones referred to as androgens.
Hirsutism is frequently connected to hormonal imbalance in the body and when treating hirsutism, the goal is the reduce the level of masculinizing androgen hormones that is produced in the body and responsible for the growth of facial and body and hair. We recently covered the topic how to reduce androgen naturally in females, check out the article here.
The good news for women with this condition is that there are all kinds of depilatories to help manage the hair growth and herbal remedies which have been studied for their ability to naturally manage androgen levels while balancing hormones.
Hormones that may lead to excessive facial and body hair
The main androgen that is responsible for excessive hair growth is the testosterone hormone. Conventional medicine typically turn to oral contraceptives and popular anti-diabetic drugs, spironolactone or metformin as a way to lower testosterone and control the hair growth. While these medication are well known for their abilities to reduce and eliminate the production of androgen in the female body, they are not with their side effects and disadvantages.
For those seeking a natural alternative to these commercial drugs, regular intake of spearmint has been shown to produce decent result after extended period of use. Research studies conducted on the effect of spearmint tea on hirsutism and published in Phytotherapy Research shows that spearmint tea may help to heal hirsute women.
According to the study, hirsute women who took two cups of spearmint tea for a period of five days or longer witnessed significant reduction of free testosterone in their blood. Free testosterone is a particular type of testosterone that is metabolically active in the body.
The results of the study also show that Spearmint tea in addition to reducing androgen level, on the flip side increased estradiol levels in the body of hirsutism study participants. In layman terms, spearmint helps to decrease abnormal masculinizing hormones while increasing the level of female hormones in the body.
Research on spearmint tea to reduce excess facial and body hair
The study according to the spokesman of the research team, Mehmet Numan Tamer, concluded that spearmint tea can be used as an excellent natural alternative for women who have mild symptoms of hirsutism. The study was conducted at the Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey. In the trials, the herbal tea was prepared by pouring a cup (250ml) of boiling water over 1 heaped teaspoon (5g) of dried leaves, and allowing it to stay for 5 to 10 mins. In our Spearmint BB Herbal Tea blend, we’ve used all natural and organic spearmint leaves and blended with green tea, white peony and licorice, all popular herbs used to control excess male hormones that may lead to overgrowth of facial and body hair.
The research was motivated by an earlier research which showed that extracts of the spearmint plant (Mentha spicata Labiatae) could reduce libido in men and a probable reason why there was reduction in male libido is due to a reduction of androgen level.
Nevertheless, spearmint tea should not be seen as the sole treatment of hirsutism. It needs to be combined with the appropriate nutrition and fitness regimen. Diet and exercise play a very key role in the management of androgen levels and hormonal health in women. There are certain foods that can trigger the overproduction of these masculinizing hormones such as refined carbohydrates and sugars. In addition, a sedentary lifestyle can also lead to the overproduction of these male hormones in women.
Therefore the best practice for tackling the imbalance is to combine adequate exercise, at least 45 minutes, 5 days a week with a healthy and nutritious diet high in protein, fruits and greens and spearmint tea.
It is important to also point out that the cause of excess androgen may be as a result of high levels of hormone- insulin. Insulin is what triggers the production of the male hormones. Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) usually have high levels of insulin and as a result are common sufferers of hairiness, acne weight gain and infertility.
How to use spearmint tea to reduce excess hair growth
Spearmint tea apart from its health benefits tastes great due to the presence of mint in it. Try to get the pure spearmint leaves preferably in loose leaf to get the full benefits. The mint adds a tip-off of sweetness so it can be taken without sugars or sweeteners. Even when brewed alone, it tastes great and is highly refreshing.
Brewing spearmint tea to reduce body and facial hair growth
Step 1:
Place 1 heaping teaspoon of dried, ground spearmint leaves or 1.5 teaspoon of fresh, thinly chopped spearmint leaves in a tea cup.
Step 2
Pour 1 cup of boiling water in the tea cup, on top of the spearmint leaves.
Step 3
Brew the tea for 10 minutes.
Step 4
Add a pinch of natural sweetener such as stevia, agave or honey to enhance the flavor if needed. I personally drink mine unsweetened.
Step 5
Enjoy two 8-ounce cups of spearmint tea every day.
I know it can be challenging 2-3 cups of tea everyday. Tried it myself and by the end of the week, I could barely stand looking at any tea. There is an option to purchase spearmint capsules. CHIOMA Spearmint BB Tea with DIM capsules are a great alternative to the herbal tea. It is a caffeine free version and also includes licorice, burdock root and DIM to support skin health.
Before starting any at home herbal remedies, it is always best practice to consult with a physician and rule out any serious medical condition. Typically, hirsutism is more of a cosmetic condition and does not pose major health risks.
The University Of Maryland Medical Center states that the majority of hirsutism cases are not serious and have no fundamental cause, but “every now and then, there is a more serious underlying condition, like Cushing’s syndrome.” After ruling out any serious conditions and a natural approach is desired to reduce excess hair growth, incorporating spearmint tea into your daily diet can offer noticeable effects long term.
Other ways to reduce excessive hair growth
In the article five popular ways to remove hair that you should know about, we list some other effective ways in which you can manage excessive hair growth.
Have you tried spearmint tea to manage hair growth? Please share your results, thoughts and insights in the comment box below.
Learn how to balance hormones naturally and reduce hair growth in women.
Article Reference
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.. (2007, February 28). Spearmint Tea: Possible Treatment For Mild Hirsutism. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 24, 2014 from
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I reside in S.A , So which shops sell spear mint tea/ leaves around hear
please reply via my email
Your speedy response will be highly appreciated
kind regards,
Mary-Jane
Hirsutism is something I struggle with. I found some tea bags at the International Food Market and will be giving it a chance. I drink about 3 cups a day at work and it should be easy to switch to the spearmint.
I Want to know that its effect is on head hairs also ??
Hi Neha, Spearmint may help with controlling hormone related hair loss due to its anti-androgenic properties. Hair loss in women is often triggered by excess male hormones.
Hello… how does this only target hair reduction/ growth in undesirable areas of the body but not cause hair loss in my head? I certainly don’t need that thinning out any more than it has already. Thanks in advance
Hi Evita, great question! One of the most common reason a woman will experience unwanted body hair and hair loss is due to an overproduction of male hormones. Think about it, there’s a reason why men are hairier and suffer from baldness more frequently than women. It is a strong characteristic of their most dominant sex hormone. When a woman has an overproduction of these male hormones, she is likely to experience similar symptoms. Spearmint does not literally target hair growth, but research has shown that it may help to control the overproduction of these male hormones which can be beneficial to women. By countering the overproduction, it is said to help with the unwanted hair on the face and body and thinning hair on the head.
In the study conducted in Turkey, even the men who drank 2 cups of Spearmint tea daily experienced noticeable effects. Hope that answers your question :).
It’s not working in me. I don’t knw to what happen with me and body n face hair growth but its too much plzz tell me how i controle it plz plz plzzzz.. Today i m 17 year old but it strat when i am 12 year my mensuration cycle start then hair growth start its look like but some time after its grow on my whole how i can do this..plz help me
Hi, belle,
I am mithu being a female I am very worried about my body hair as age increases my hair growth on body parts also getting thicker on chest, belly around navel particularly please help me. Thanks
Hi Belle
Has anyone replied that they’ve had luck with spearmint tea? This hair has ruined the last 20 or so years of my life! 🙁
Hi Holly we’ve heard a lot of great reviews regarding spearmint tea and especially our FEMININITEA Spearmint BB Blend. You can read the reviews on our website or Amazon.com. With natural remedies, it’s all consistency and patience. You’ll have to try it out for yourself for a few months to see how it works for you. The quality of the spearmint tea and brand will also impact results. I personally prefer 100% pure and organic Spearmint in loose leaf form. I find that I get the most benefit from it because of the higher potency. Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any further questions 🙂
Hi belly , recently I started drinking spearmint tea two cups a day but it’s not working. Why this is happening? My friend told me that spearmint tea is a quick and good process to reduce unwanted hair but no results.