Hidradenitis Suppurativa: An Androgen-Dependent Disorder

The 1986 study by Mortimer et al. found that hidradenitis suppurativa, a condition causing inflamed regions in the pubic and axillary areas, is androgen-dependent as it responded to treatment with the antiandrogen cyproterone acetate in a double-blind trial. The study, which built on previous research and anecdotal evidence, involved reverse sequential therapy with cyproterone acetate and ethinyloestradiol and showed effectiveness in most cases of female hidradenitis suppurativa. The editorial accompanying the study highlighted that the success of antiandrogen therapy is likely due to the blocking of androgen receptors at the target site, indicating that the tissue response to androgens is more significant than the levels of circulating androgens, as many patients have normal free testosterone levels.