Finasteride as a Therapy for Hidradenitis Suppurativa

December 1999 in “ British Journal of Dermatology ”

A.M. Farrell, Valerie A. Randall, Tayyebeh Vafaee, Rodney P.R. Dawber

finasteride hidradenitis suppurativa oral zinc sulfate antibiotics androgenization Propecia

TLDR Finasteride improves hidradenitis suppurativa but not for child-bearing women.

The document discusses the potential use of finasteride as a therapy for hidradenitis suppurativa, a skin condition that causes painful and scarring lesions. Two case studies are presented where patients with the condition showed significant improvement after taking finasteride. The drug is generally safe and well-tolerated, but is contraindicated in women of child-bearing age due to the risk of impaired androgenization of the male fetus. The document also discusses other treatments for hidradenitis suppurativa, including oral zinc sulfate and antibiotics.

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