FerrimanGallwey

Ferriman-Gallwey score, also known as the Ferriman-Gallwey method, is a clinical tool used to quantify hirsutism in women. It was introduced in 1961 by David Ferriman and J. S. Gallwey to provide a standardized assessment of abnormal hair growth linked to androgen excess. The method aims to offer a reproducible measure of terminal hair distribution as an indicator of hyperandrogenism.

The assessment evaluates terminal hair growth in nine body areas. Each area is rated on a 0-to-3 scale, where 0 indicates no terminal hairs and 3 indicates extensive hair. The scores are summed to yield a total between 0 and 27. A higher score indicates greater androgen effect. In many populations, a threshold of 8 or higher is used to define hirsutism, but cutoffs vary by ethnicity and reference standards.

A modified Ferriman-Gallwey (mFG) score exists, which adapts the number of regions or scoring criteria to improve reliability and applicability. The method requires trained assessors and standardized conditions, and results can be influenced by ethnicity, pubertal status, and age.

Usage and interpretation: The score is widely used in the workup of suspected hyperandrogenism and in studies of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and other endocrine disorders. It should be interpreted together with clinical signs, menstrual history, and biochemical tests, as the score alone does not establish diagnosis. While valuable for monitoring treatment response and research, the Ferriman-Gallwey score has limitations related to observer variability and population differences in hair distribution.