Interventions for Hirsutism (Excluding Laser and Photoepilation Therapy Alone)

    April 2015 in “ Cochrane library
    Esther J van Zuuren, Zbys Fedorowicz, Ben Carter, Nikolaos Pandis
    TLDR Some medicines can reduce excessive hair growth in women, but more research is needed to compare treatments and consider side effects.
    The document reviewed interventions for hirsutism, a condition characterized by excessive hair growth in women, often caused by polycystic ovary syndrome. The review included 157 randomized controlled trials with 10,550 women, focusing on treatments other than laser and light-based therapies. The evidence suggested that oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) with cyproterone acetate, flutamide (250 mg twice daily), and spironolactone (100 mg daily) could reduce hirsutism, but the quality of evidence ranged from low to very low. Finasteride (5 mg daily) showed inconsistent results, and metformin did not demonstrate a benefit over placebo. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues had inconsistent outcomes and significant side effects. The review highlighted the need for well-designed trials comparing different treatments and emphasized the importance of considering treatment side effects and the impact on quality of life.
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