Effect of Metformin Therapy in Females Visiting Dermatologist for Acne Vulgaris Having Endocrine and Sonographic Characteristics of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

    January 2013
    Mehta Ty, Shah, Goyal Rk
    TLDR Metformin improves acne, hair growth, and menstrual cycles in females with PCOS.
    The study investigated the effects of metformin on acne vulgaris and other hyperandrogenism symptoms in females with PCOS. Out of 33 participants, 25 met the Rotterdam criteria for PCOS, and 17 completed a 3-month metformin therapy (1-1.5 g/day, with minoxidil 2% for severe androgenic alopecia). Results showed significant improvements in weight, waist to hip ratio, acne scores (from 2.37 ± 0.17 to 1.68 ± 0.19), hirsutism scores (from 14.3 ± 1.7 to 12.8 ± 1.8), androgenic alopecia (hair growth in 6 out of 13 subjects), and menstrual regularity (50% had regular cycles). Hormonal levels and ultrasonographic parameters also normalized. The study concluded that dermatologists should consider PCOS in patients with acne vulgaris and treat them with metformin.
    Discuss this study in the Community →

    Research cited in this study

    2 / 2 results

    Related Community Posts Join

    6 / 31 results
      Diffuse hair loss and scalp biopsies

      community Diffuse hair loss and scalp biopsies

      in Research  692 upvotes 3 months ago
      Scalp biopsies are crucial for diagnosing hair loss conditions like Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA) and retrograde hair loss, as treatments like finasteride and dutasteride may not be effective if other conditions are present. Combining PPAR-GAMMA agonists with retinoids could improve treatments for conditions like Lichen Planopilaris.

      community Started Finasteride almost three months ago and I'm upset

      in Update  153 upvotes 8 months ago
      A user started taking finasteride three months ago to treat hair loss and unexpectedly cleared their acne, which they had been struggling with since age 12. The conversation includes others sharing their experiences with finasteride, its effects on acne and hair loss, and mentions a related treatment, clascoterone, for acne and hair loss.

      community Female, 30, PCOS diagnosis, MPB Norwood 2. Endo refuses to give anything other than Spironolactone. Feel like I’m at my wit’s end here.

      in Female  56 upvotes 1 year ago
      A 30-year-old female with PCOS and male pattern baldness is frustrated with her endocrinologist's recommendation of only Spironolactone and minoxidil, feeling that dutasteride, finasteride, and progesterone would be more effective. Other users suggest various online sources for treatments, warn against self-medicating due to potential risks, and recommend seeking a specialized endocrinologist or considering additional treatments like Inositol, Berberine, and dermaneedling.

      community Increasing Oral Minoxidil Dose Over Time

      in Research/Science  97 upvotes 8 months ago
      A user reports hair loss despite using minoxidil and plans to increase their oral minoxidil dose gradually while also taking finasteride, dermarolling weekly, and applying topical stemoxydine nightly. They shared a link suggesting that increasing minoxidil dosage can improve hair growth and thickness.

    Related Research

    4 / 4 results