TLDR Anti-androgens are effective for female acne but less so for male-pattern hair loss, with side effects similar to birth control pills.
The 1979 document reviewed the effectiveness of anti-androgens in treating dermatological conditions such as seborrhoea, acne vulgaris, hirsutism, and male-pattern alopecia in females. Anti-androgens function by either inhibiting the conversion of testosterone to DHT or blocking androgen receptors. Cyproterone acetate was noted for its success in treating acne in over 600 females, with more than 90% showing marked improvement within 3 months, but it was less effective for male-pattern alopecia, with only about 50% improvement after one year. Side effects were comparable to those of oral contraceptives. The review also touched on the potential of topical anti-androgens, which had not yet been effectively formulated, and indicated that the long-term effects of anti-androgen therapy were still unclear.
66 citations
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October 1977 in “British journal of dermatology/British journal of dermatology, Supplement” Cyproterone acetate reduces hair growth and oil production.
74 citations
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November 1975 in “Archives of dermatology” Increased DHT formation in skin can cause hair loss, acne, and excessive hair growth, and antiandrogens might treat these conditions.
232 citations
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June 1975 in “Journal of Steroid Biochemistry” Cyproterone acetate is effective for acne but less so for hirsutism and alopecia, with some side effects and quick menstrual cycle recovery after treatment.
58 citations
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July 1974 in “The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism/Journal of clinical endocrinology & metabolism” Cyproterone acetate combined with ethinyl estradiol significantly reduced hirsutism in women.
305 citations
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February 2007 in “Hormone and metabolic research” Human skin makes sexual hormones that affect hair growth, skin health, and healing; too much can cause acne and hair loss, while treatments can manage these conditions.
Anti-androgens can help treat tough skin conditions like severe acne and excessive hair growth.
Pregnancy and hormonal contraceptives can cause temporary hair loss on the scalp and increased hair growth on the face and body.
1 citations
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November 2021 in “Biomedicines” Understanding how acne develops in different diseases could lead to new treatments.
13 citations
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September 2011 in “American Journal of Clinical Dermatology” The oral contraceptive ethinylestradiol/chlormadinone acetate is effective in reducing acne and improving other skin conditions related to high androgen levels.
