Elevated Free Testosterone Levels in Women With Acne

In 1983, a study compared 24 women with acne to 24 controls and found that 11 of the acne patients had elevated free testosterone levels, with a mean concentration of 1.035 ng/dL compared to 0.54 ng/dL in controls. This indicated that free testosterone is a more sensitive marker for hyperandrogenism in women with acne than total testosterone. Elevated free testosterone did not correlate with acne characteristics, and no specific indicators other than hirsutism were found to predict excessive androgen activity. The study also noted higher, yet normal, levels of DHEA-S in acne patients, which may contribute to acne. These findings suggested a potential role for hormonal therapy in acne treatment.