Editing Virilization (section)

{{Short description|Biological development of male sex characteristics}}
{{Sex (biology) sidebar}}{{More citations needed|date=July 2023}}
'''Virilization''' or '''masculinization'''<!-- NOTE: The term "masculinization" redirects here. Because of this, and WP:Alternative title, the term should be bolded and mentioned in the lead. --> is the biological development of adult male characteristics in young males or females.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/virilization|title=Virilization definition and meaning {{!}} Collins English Dictionary|website=www.collinsdictionary.com|language=en|access-date=2017-11-26}}</ref> Most of the changes of virilization are produced by [[androgen]]s.

Virilization is a medical [[terminology|term]] commonly used in three medical and [[Sex differences in humans|biology of sex]] contexts: prenatal biological [[sexual differentiation]], the postnatal changes of typical chromosomal male (46, XY) [[puberty]], and excessive androgen effects in typical chromosomal females (46, XX). It is also the intended result of [[androgen replacement therapy]] in males with [[delayed puberty]] and [[low testosterone]].