ANTIANDROGEN THERAPY IN DERMATOLOGY
November 1996
in “International Journal of Dermatology”
TLDR Antiandrogens can help treat skin conditions like acne and excessive hair in women when used carefully.
The 1996 document reviews the use of antiandrogens in dermatology, particularly for treating acne, hirsutism, and androgenetic alopecia in women. It details the effectiveness and potential risks of various treatments, including spironolactone, cyproterone acetate, flutamide, corticosteroids, oral contraceptives, finasteride, gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists, cimetidine, and ketoconazole. Spironolactone and cyproterone acetate are noted for their benefits in treating acne and hirsutism, with the latter not available in the U.S. due to concerns about liver toxicity and tumor development. Flutamide is effective but carries a significant risk of hepatotoxicity. Corticosteroids are used empirically, and oral contraceptives are important for hormonal treatment, with newer formulations being safer. Finasteride shows potential for treating hirsutism and androgenetic alopecia, but more studies are needed. Ketoconazole has antiandrogenic effects but is limited by side effects at effective doses. The document concludes that antiandrogens can be valuable for treating women with androgen-mediated skin diseases, provided that an androgen-secreting tumor is excluded.
View this study on onlinelibrary.wiley.com →
Cited in this study
research A prospective randomized trial comparing finasteride to spironolactone in the treatment of hirsute women
research Treatment of hirsutism with flutamide and a low-dosage oral contraceptive in polycystic ovarian disease patients
Flutamide combined with a low-dose birth control pill effectively reduces excessive hair growth in women with polycystic ovarian disease.
research Comparison of flutamide and spironolactone in the treatment of hirsutism: a randomized controlled trial
Flutamide is more effective and has fewer side effects than spironolactone for treating hirsutism.
research Finasteride
Finasteride treats enlarged prostate and may help with baldness, but effects on sexual function and male fetuses are unclear.
research Hepatotoxicity Complicating Flutamide Treatment of Hirsutism
Flutamide, a medication used for excessive hair growth, can cause severe liver damage in women.
research Azasteroids as inhibitors of testosterone 5α-reductase in mammalian skin
Certain 4-azasteroids are effective at blocking the enzyme that processes testosterone in human skin and could help treat acne, excessive hair growth, and male pattern baldness.
research The Effect of Finasteride in Men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Finasteride effectively treats BPH but may increase sexual dysfunction risk.
research Incidence of liver toxicity associated with the use of flutamide in prostate cancer patients
Flutamide rarely causes liver toxicity in prostate cancer patients.
research Hair growth effects of oral administration of finasteride, a steroid 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor, alone and in combination with topical minoxidil in the balding stumptail macaque
Taking finasteride pills and using minoxidil lotion together can help grow hair.
research Flutamide in the treatment of hirsutism
Flutamide effectively reduces hair growth in women with hirsutism and improves acne and seborrhea without side effects.
research Comparison of Sequential Cyproterone Acetate/Estrogen Versus Spironolactone/Oral Contraceptive in the Treatment of Hirsutism
Both cyproterone acetate and spironolactone effectively reduce hair growth in women with hirsutism.
research Treatment of hirsutism with the pure antiandrogen flutamide
Flutamide effectively reduced excessive hair growth and improved related symptoms in hirsutism patients without significant side effects.
research The Treatment of Hyperandrogenism with Oral Contraceptives
Birth control pills are effective for treating women with too much male hormone.
research Lack of effect of spironolactone on hair shaft diameter in hirsute females
Spironolactone did not make hair thinner in women with excess hair growth.
research Treatment of hirsutism with cimetidine: a prospective randomized controlled trial
Cimetidine did not reduce hair growth in women with hirsutism.
research THE TREATMENT OF HIRSUTISM WITH A COMBINATION OF DESOGESTREL AND ETHINYL OESTRADIOL
A combination of desogestrel and ethinyl oestradiol effectively reduces hair growth in hirsute women.
research Oral spironolactone therapy for female patients with acne, hirsutism or androgenic alopecia
Spironolactone is effective for treating acne, hirsutism, and androgenic alopecia in women with few side effects.
research EFFECTS OF A LOW‐DOSE DESOGESTREL‐ETHINYLESTRADIOL COMBINATION ON HIRSUTISM, ANDROGENS AND SEX HORMONE BINDING GLOBULIN IN WOMEN WITH A POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME
Low-dose oral contraceptives reduced hair growth and testosterone levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
research Use of cyproterone acetate (CPA) in the treatment of acne, hirsutism and virilism
Cyproterone acetate is effective for acne but less so for hirsutism and alopecia, with some side effects and quick menstrual cycle recovery after treatment.