[Functional adrenal hyperandrogenism: changing perspectives during its historical evolution].

The approach to adrenal hyperandrogenism, due to genetical or non-genetical enzymatic alterations, has changed dramatically during the last 50 years. To allow a better understanding of the subject, we focused it from a historical perspective, defining four stages analyzed in detail. Now there is consent on the existence of a functional adrenal hyperandrogenism, which has an important role in acne, hirsutism and menstrual disturbances.