Table 1.

Modified Ferriman–Gallwey semiquantitative scoring system for hirsutism.

Sites to be examined		Score = 1	Score = 2	Score = 3	Score = 4
1.	Upper lip	Few hairs at the outer margins	Small moustache at outer margin	Moustache extending halfway from outer margin	Moustache extending to midline
2.	Chin	Few scattered hairs	Scattered hairs with small concentrations	Complete cover, light	Complete cover, heavy
3.	Chest	Circumareolar hairs	Circumareolar hairs with midline hair	Fusion of circumareolar hairs with midline hair giving three-quarter cover	Complete cover
4.	Upper back	Few scattered hairs	More than a few scattered hairs but still scattered	Complete cover, light	Complete cover, heavy
5.	Lower back	Sacral tuft of hair	Sacral tuft of hair with some lateral extension	Three-quarter cover	Complete cover
6.	Upper abdomen	Few midline hairs	Rather more but still midline	Half cover	Complete cover
7.	Lower abdomen	Few midline hairs	Midline streak of hairs	Midline band of hairs	Inverted V-shaped band
8.	Upper arm and thigh	Sparse hair growth affecting not more than quarter of limb surface	More than a quarter coverage but still incomplete	Complete cover, light	Complete cover, heavy
9.	Forearm and legs	–	–	–	Complete cover, heavy

Modified from Sharma et al., 2008.

A score of zero is given if terminal hair is absent in the examined part. Forearm and hand and lower leg and feet are not included in the hormonal score, and only a single value is added even when hirsutism involves these extremities bilaterally. Minimum score is zero and maximum is 36. The severity of hirsutism is usually graded as follows: No hirsutism < 8, mild = 8–16, moderate = 17–25, and severe > 25. Values vary in different races and ethnic groups (Escobar-Morreale et al., 2012, Hatch et al., 1981, Yildiz et al., 2010).