hirsutism

the growth of dark, coarse HAIR on the body of a female, on the face, chest, abdomen and upper back. This is either because of a greater sensitivity of hair FOLLICLES to a normal level of male hormones ( ANDROGENS ), producing hair of a more masculine type. Or there may be an excessive production of androgens responsible for the growth of the hair. The condition may be the result of an underlying disorder, such as an ADRENAL tumour, but there is a wide normal variation in the amount of body hair present in individuals and between females of different races.