Hirsutism

Hirsutism (from Latin hirsutus = shaggy, hairy) is the excessive and increased hair growth on female humans in those parts of the body where terminal hair does not normally occur or is minimal – for example, a beard or chest hair. It refers to a male pattern of body hair (androgenic hair) and it is therefore primarily of cosmetic and psychological concern. Hirsutism is a symptom rather than a disease and may be a sign of a more serious medical condition, especially if it develops well after puberty.

Early Puberty

Precocious puberty (Latin: pubertas praecox) is an unusually early onset of puberty, the process of sexual maturation triggered by the brain or exogenous chemicals, which usually begins in late childhood and results in reproductive maturity and completion of growth. Early puberty may be a variation of normal development, or may be a result of a disease or abnormal hormone exposure.

In some contexts, the term “precocious puberty” is used more broadly to describe the early appearance of any of the physical features of puberty, even if the complete brain-directed process is not occurring.