Hirsutism

Since the heyday of circus exhibitions, women with beards have been celebrated in pop culture. But the social media influencer Dakota Cooke took her beard to the next level and used it to amass over 4K followers. She runs an Instagram profile proudly titled “Dakota The Bearded Lady.”

Cooke’s impressive beard is related to a condition known as hirsutism, which is caused by excessive production of androgens hormones. These hormones are typically associated with male traits and include testosterone, among others. Hirsutism can also be associated with hair growth in the chest and back.