A 16-year-old Indian girl presented with increased facial hair growth, weight gain, amenorrhea and generalized weakness for the last 3 months. On examination she was found to have severe hirsutism, her modified Ferriman-Gallwey score was 24/36, she had broad purple striae on abdomen, hypertension and proximal myopathy. On investigations, the patient was found to have ACTH dependent Cushing's syndrome
Cushing Syndrome ; Hirsutism

Virilizing tumors during pregnancy are extremely rare. This case of a 33 year old, gravid 3 para 2, presented with hirsutism and clitoromegaly at 5 months age of gestation. Her past medical and menstrual histories were non-contributory. Ultrasound done during her prenatal check-up at 34 weeks age of gestation revealed an ovarian new growth on the left ovary features suggestive of a benign nature. On her 38th week of pregnancy, LTCS III with right tubal ligation and left salpingooophorectomy were performed and a baby boy weighing 3000 grams without any gross abnormalities was delivered. Histopathologically, the tumor proved to be a benign mucinous cystadenoma. This paper presented an ovarian mucinous cystadenoma with virilizing features that are transient and reversible. Therefore, an ovarian neoplasm should always be considered as a differential diagnosis for causes of virilization during pregnancy.
Human ; Female ; Adult ; HIRSUTISM ; PREGNANCY ; CYSTADENOMA, MUCINOUS

D.R. presented with hirsutism, virilization and polycythemia. Hormonal assays, imaging studies and laparotomy revealed a steroid cell tumor of the ovary. The coexistence of ovarian tumor and polycythemia is discussed.
Human ; Female ; Adult ; POLYCYTHEMIA ; HIRSUTISM ; OVARY

Ovarian steroid cell tumors are composed exclusively of cells that have the histologic features of steroid hormone secreting cells. And these are rare lesions and have been divided into four subtyes according to their size, location in the ovary, and presence or absence of crystals of Reinke in the cytoplasm as follows: stromal luteomas, hilus cell tumors, Leydig cell tumors (non-hilar type), and steroid cell tumors not otherwise specified. Steroid cell tumors often secret androgens, and manifest themselves with symptoms of virilization. Other presenting manifestations include hirsutism, amenorrhea, obesity, hypertension and alopecia. We experienced a case of ovarian steroid cell tumor, manifested by obesity and amenorrhea and present with a brief review of the literatures.
Alopecia ; Amenorrhea ; Androgens ; Cytoplasm ; Female ; Hirsutism ; Hypertension ; Leydig Cell Tumor ; Luteoma ; Obesity* ; Ovary ; Virilism

A 19 year old female patient presented with diffuse alopecia as her chief medical complaint. A clinical examination revealed hirsutism limited only to the on midline lower abdomen with elevated DHEA-S(dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate) and total testosterone levels. Polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD) was diagnosed during the treatment with dexamethasone and spironolactone, which was effective to improve her alopecia. We believe that, with increasing, concerns about hair conditions of teen-age girls there should be increasing chances for dermatologists to care for patients of PCOD first before other specialities in medicine.
Abdomen ; Alopecia* ; Dexamethasone ; Female* ; Hair ; Hirsutism ; Humans ; Ovarian Diseases* ; Spironolactone ; Testosterone ; Young Adult

Hyperandrogenism refers to classical androgen-dependent signs such as hirsutism, acne and androgenetic alopecia. Disorders that result in androgen excess include specific identifiable disorders (i.e. disorders of inclusion), but the great majority of women presenting with hirsutism and other symptoms or signs of hyperandrogenism suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Hirsutism is the main hyperandrogenic symptom, defined as an excess of body hair in androgen-sensitive regions of skin in women. In this review, I attempt to focus on the pathogenesis of hirsutism, as well as clinical and biochemical features that are important in choosing therapeutic options. PCOS is the most common disorder of premenopausal women, affecting 4 to 8% of this population, and therefore, diagnostic issues of PCOS in Korean women will be addressed, specifically the reproductive and metabolic derangements and criteria for hyperandrogenism based on hirsutism and serum androgen concentrations.
Acne Vulgaris ; Alopecia ; Female ; Hair ; Hirsutism ; Humans ; Hyperandrogenism ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ; Skin

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common disorder of premenopausal women, affecting 4 to 8% of this population. Diagnosis of PCOS lays on a combination of clinical, biological and ultrasound criteria that has been used variably worldwide. The phenotype of women with PCOS is variable depending on ethnic background and diagnostic criteria may rely on it. Fewer studies have extensively examined reproductive and metabolic characteristics and hyperandrogenism in Korean women. Despite the paucity of these studies, they are critical for the ascertainment of criteria for the diagnosis of PCOS. This review address the issues pertaining to diagnostic issues of PCOS in Korean women, specifically: reproductive and metabolic derangements and criteria for hyperandrogenism based on hirsutism and serum androgen concentrations. The prevalence (estimated) of PCOS in Korean women was 5.8%. To diagnose PCOS, the cut off value for hirsutism needs to be differently adjusted in Korean women. Regarding phenotypic characteristics of PCOS in Korean women, the various phenotypes of PCOS have the different overall morbidity (e.g. insulin resistance and hyperinsulinism, abnormal glucose metabolism and metabolic syndrome). Especially patients with oligomenorrhea/polycystic ovary and hyperandrogenism/polycystic ovary did not seem to have metabolic derangements. Thus these subgroups need to be determined if they can be classified as PCOS.
Female ; Glucose ; Hirsutism ; Humans ; Hyperandrogenism ; Hyperinsulinism ; Insulin Resistance ; Ovary ; Phenotype ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ; Prevalence

Hypertrichosis refers to the increase of hair density or length beyond the accepted limits of normal for a particular age, race, or sex. It is an overgrowth of hair in androgen-independent areas and it differs from hirsutism, which refers to hair growth in women in areas of the body where hair growth is under androgen control. It may be classified into congenital and acquired types according to age of development, and localized or generalized types according to the range of involvement. Acquired localized hypertrichosis may occur secondary to infective or inflammatory diseases, traumas, drugs, fracture and cast, lymphedema, sympathetic dystrophy, topical steroid application, denervation, or congenital AV fistula. Any situation that results in persistent and repetitious inflammation in the dermis or individual susceptibility may cause hypertrichosis. We report two cases of acquired localized hypertrichosis associated with cellulitis and contusion.
Cellulitis* ; Continental Population Groups ; Contusions* ; Denervation ; Dermis ; Female ; Fistula ; Hair ; Hirsutism ; Humans ; Hypertrichosis* ; Inflammation ; Lymphedema

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) or free testosterone (FT) levels and aging. METHODS:One hundred and thirty one women without androgen excess symptoms such as oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea or hirsutism were recruited for measuring serum DHEAS, FT levels by radioimmunoassay. A P-value <0.05 was considered to be significant statistically. RESULTS: The levels of DHEAS were 211.39+/-33.01 microg/dL (twenties, n=10), 127.99+/-11.79 microg/dL (thirties, n=31), 94.30+/-7.49 microg/dL (forties, n=57) and 71.79+/-5.71 microg/dL (over fifties, n=33) respectively (mean+/-SE, P<0.001). The levels of FT were 3.98+/-0.94 pg/ml (twenties, n=10), 3.37+/-0.47 pg/mL (thirties, n=31), 2.68+/-0.30 pg/mL (forties, n=57) and 1.97+/-0.28 pg/mL (fifties, n=33) respectively (mean+/-SE, P=0.030). Mean value declining of DHEAS (r=-0.48865, P<0.0001) was bigger than those of FT (r=-0.29334, P<0.0007). CONCLUSION: Both DHEAS and FT levels decline with age and DHEAS decreases more steeply than FT.
Aging ; Amenorrhea ; Dehydroepiandrosterone ; Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate ; Female ; Hirsutism ; Humans ; Oligomenorrhea ; Radioimmunoassay ; Testosterone

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) or free testosterone (FT) levels and aging. METHODS:One hundred and thirty one women without androgen excess symptoms such as oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea or hirsutism were recruited for measuring serum DHEAS, FT levels by radioimmunoassay. A P-value <0.05 was considered to be significant statistically. RESULTS: The levels of DHEAS were 211.39+/-33.01 microg/dL (twenties, n=10), 127.99+/-11.79 microg/dL (thirties, n=31), 94.30+/-7.49 microg/dL (forties, n=57) and 71.79+/-5.71 microg/dL (over fifties, n=33) respectively (mean+/-SE, P<0.001). The levels of FT were 3.98+/-0.94 pg/ml (twenties, n=10), 3.37+/-0.47 pg/mL (thirties, n=31), 2.68+/-0.30 pg/mL (forties, n=57) and 1.97+/-0.28 pg/mL (fifties, n=33) respectively (mean+/-SE, P=0.030). Mean value declining of DHEAS (r=-0.48865, P<0.0001) was bigger than those of FT (r=-0.29334, P<0.0007). CONCLUSION: Both DHEAS and FT levels decline with age and DHEAS decreases more steeply than FT.
Aging ; Amenorrhea ; Dehydroepiandrosterone ; Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate ; Female ; Hirsutism ; Humans ; Oligomenorrhea ; Radioimmunoassay ; Testosterone