Give biological reasons for the following statements:
Some women have facial hair like beard and moustache.
Topic: Adrenal virilism
Answer
Because of ADRENAL VIRILISM — an overgrowth of the ADRENAL CORTEX causing HYPERSECRETION of ANDROGENS (male sex hormones). Since androgens produce the male secondary sexual characteristics, a woman with excess androgen develops facial hair, a deepened voice and a masculine build.
Name the DISORDER, the GLAND and the HORMONE — all three are part of a full answer.
The name explains itself: ADRENAL tells you the gland, VIRILISM comes from viril-, meaning male.
The adrenal cortex normally secretes a SMALL quantity of androgens in BOTH sexes; the disorder arises when that small quantity becomes large.
EVERY SYMPTOM IS SIMPLY A MALE CHARACTERISTIC APPEARING IN A FEMALE, so if you can recall the male secondary sexual characteristics you already know the symptoms.