TLDR The oral contraceptive ethinylestradiol/chlormadinone acetate is effective in reducing acne and improving other skin conditions related to high androgen levels.
The 2011 review article evaluated the effectiveness of the oral contraceptive ethinylestradiol/chlormadinone acetate (EE/CMA) in treating dermatological conditions related to high androgen levels, such as acne vulgaris, hirsutism, seborrhea, and female pattern hair loss (FPHL). In a study of 199 women with mild-to-moderate papulopustular acne, EE/CMA led to a significant reduction in acne after 12 treatment cycles compared to another oral contraceptive, with 59.4% of women experiencing at least a 50% reduction in acne lesions. EE/CMA also showed improvements in facial skin condition, acne lesions, pore size, seborrhea, and hirsutism in smaller subgroups of women. The treatment was generally well tolerated, with breast pain and headache/migraine being the most common adverse events. While the review suggests potential benefits of EE/CMA for conditions associated with hyperandrogenemia, it calls for further research to confirm its efficacy. The review was supported by Faes Farma, with no conflicts of interest reported by the authors.
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research Acne
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