A STUDY OF “IDIOPATHIC” HIRSUTISM; A TRANSITIONAL ADRENAL ABNORMALITY*†

Abstract

A varying degree of hypertrichosis is a common clinical finding in adult females (1). When hair growth is slight there may be only a cosmetic problem; when profuse, the effect may be psychologically debilitating (2) and indicative of a deep seated endocrine abnormality. A small number of women with this condition may, upon extensive clinical examination, exhibit one of a variety of endocrine disorders arising from hyperplastic or neoplastic changes in the pituitary, adrenals or ovaries (2, 3). The majority, however, for want of evidence of specific endocrine disease, fall into a group referred to as “idiopathic” or, if the history warrants, “familial” hirsutism.