Virilization

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Hypothalamus hormone production

Overview

Virilization

Definition:

Virilization refers to the development of male sex characteristics in a female. This may include an increase in body hair, facial hair, a deepening of the voice, male-pattern baldness, and clitoral enlargement. Virilization may result from excessive testosterone production in the endocrine glands or from the use of anabolic steroids.

Review Date: 8/1/2005
Reviewed By: Nikheel S. Kolatkar, MD, Clinical and Research Fellow, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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