Condition · Also: androgen excess

Hyperandrogenism

Elevated androgen activity in women, producing signs such as acne, excess hair, or scalp hair loss.

Elevated androgen activity in women, producing signs such as acne, excess hair, or scalp hair loss.

Also known as: androgen excess

Hyperandrogenism refers to higher-than-typical androgen (male-type hormone) activity in women. It can be identified clinically through signs like acne, hirsutism, and androgenic hair loss, or by blood tests.

It is one of the three defining features of PCOS under the Rotterdam criteria.

Related terms

PCOS

A common hormonal condition marked by irregular ovulation, androgen excess, and/or polycystic ovaries.

Hirsutism

Excess coarse, dark hair growth in women in a male-typical pattern.

Androgenic alopecia

Gradual hair thinning, in women often across the crown, influenced by androgens and genetics.

Testosterone

An androgen present in women in small amounts that contributes to libido, muscle, and bone.

Rotterdam criteria

A widely used framework diagnosing PCOS when two of three defining features are present.

Source

MedlinePlus: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

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