Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Low-Dose Flutamide Alone and Combined with an Oral Contraceptive for the Treatment of Idiopathic Hirsutism

The study evaluated the efficacy and safety of a low dose of flutamide (125 mg twice daily) for treating idiopathic hirsutism, both alone and in combination with a triphasic oral contraceptive (OC), over a 12-month period. The study was a prospective open trial involving women with normal serum androgen levels and an LH/FSH ratio less than 2. Results showed a statistically significant decrease in hirsutism scores after 3 months for both treatment groups, with the combination treatment maintaining significance 6 months post-treatment. Flutamide alone did not alter lipoprotein levels, while its combination with OC significantly increased HDL-C levels. The study concluded that low-dose flutamide is beneficial for idiopathic hirsutism, and when combined with OC, it can prevent pregnancy and reduce hirsutism recurrence post-treatment without negatively affecting lipid profiles. Adding electrolysis could further delay hirsutism recurrence after stopping flutamide.