33 citations
,
April 2015 in “Cochrane library” This review examined various treatments for hirsutism and found low to very low quality evidence suggesting that flutamide and spironolactone may help reduce hair growth, while metformin was ineffective.
23 citations
,
February 2014 in “Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology” This study found that a low-dose intermittent finasteride regimen significantly reduced hirsutism scores in adolescent girls with PCOS or idiopathic hirsutism, with similar efficacy but potentially safer and less expensive than continuous administration.
40 citations
,
November 2013 in “European journal of endocrinology” This paper reviews the treatment options for hirsutism and emphasizes the importance of diagnosing its underlying cause and considering patient perception and specific phenotypes, reporting no new clinical results.
1265 citations
,
October 2013 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” This guideline from the Endocrine Society recommends using the Rotterdam criteria for diagnosing polycystic ovary syndrome and outlines first-line treatments, emphasizing hormonal contraceptives and lifestyle intervention.
5 citations
,
January 2013 in “PubMed” This study found that applying Lavender and Tea tree oils locally reduced hirsutism severity and hair thickness in women with mild idiopathic hirsutism more than a placebo over three months.
17 citations
,
October 2012 in “Dermatologic clinics” This article discusses diagnostic and treatment options for excessive hair growth in women, noting a need for holistic approaches to address associated psychological issues, but it does not present new clinical findings.
35 citations
,
May 2012 in “Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews” This review found evidence supporting the effectiveness and safety of topical minoxidil for treating female pattern hair loss, though many included studies were at high risk of bias.
22 citations
,
December 2011 in “British journal of dermatology/British journal of dermatology, Supplement” This review discusses the spectrum of unwanted facial hair in women and outlines a holistic treatment approach, emphasizing tailored regimens that address individual needs and causative factors, but provides no new clinical results.
378 citations
,
November 2011 in “Human reproduction update” This review discusses the epidemiology, causes, diagnosis, and management of hirsutism in women, noting that effective treatment requires addressing the root cause as well as the hair growth.
13 citations
,
September 2011 in “American Journal of Clinical Dermatology” This review describes the dermatological uses of the contraceptive ethinylestradiol/chlormadinone acetate for conditions linked to high androgen levels and reports no new clinical results.
22 citations
,
August 2011 in “Endocrine Practice” This review discusses the etiology, diagnosis, and management strategies for hirsutism, noting that serious underlying disorders are rare and emphasizing targeted treatment to manage testosterone's effects.
198 citations
,
July 2011 in “Cochrane library” This study found that lifestyle interventions improved body composition, hyperandrogenism, and insulin resistance in women with PCOS, but did not affect glucose tolerance, lipid profiles, or clinical reproductive outcomes.
10 citations
,
February 2011 in “Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft” This article reviews structured management strategies for diagnosing and treating hair and scalp disorders, offering clinical guidelines and emphasizing the importance of psychosomatic care and patient-therapist communication.
18 citations
,
June 2010 in “Current medicinal chemistry” This review discusses current treatment options for hirsutism, emphasizing the importance of combining therapies for better outcomes, but reports no new clinical findings.
41 citations
,
April 2010 in “Gender Medicine” This review discusses the causes, clinical features, diagnostic approach, and treatment options for hirsutism in women, but reports no new findings.
5 citations
,
March 2010 in “Gynecologic and obstetric investigation” This study found that parenteral administration of cyproterone acetate was more effective than high-dose oral treatment in reducing facial hair diameter and improving dermatological parameters in patients with severe hirsutism, despite similar androgen suppression.
14 citations
,
March 2010 in “Gynecological endocrinology” This article provides an overview of treatment options for hirsutism, summarizing both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic approaches, but reports no new clinical results.
18 citations
,
March 2010 in “Gynecologic and obstetric investigation” This study found that both combined therapy with goserelin and oral contraceptives, and oral contraceptives alone, significantly reduced hair diameter in severe hirsutism without a significant difference between treatments.
60 citations
,
February 2010 in “Gynecological Endocrinology” This study suggests that adding metformin to diet and exercise improves insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism in women with PCOS, though lifestyle changes alone may enhance menstrual cycles.
31 citations
,
November 2009 in “European journal of dermatology/EJD. European journal of dermatology” This paper presents a consensus-driven diagnostic evaluation form for assessing hirsutism in premenopausal women, developed by The Skin Academy for use in clinical practice.
4 citations
,
October 2009 in “International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism” This study found that both Diane 35 plus spironolactone and Diane 35 plus finasteride were equally effective and safe for treating hirsutism and acne in Indian women over a 12-month period.
16 citations
,
October 2009 in “Dermatology” This study found that a cream containing spironolactone did not affect hair growth in hirsute women.
90 citations
,
July 2009 in “PTR. Phytotherapy research/Phytotherapy research” In this study, spearmint tea significantly reduced testosterone levels and improved self-reported hirsutism in women with PCOS, but did not change objective hair growth scores over the short trial period.
112 citations
,
April 2009 in “Cochrane library” This review found some evidence suggesting that spironolactone can effectively reduce hirsutism in women but did not support its use for treating acne vulgaris.
9 citations
,
January 2009 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” This study found that a cream containing 6.0% Stryphnodendron adstringens bark extract effectively reduced terminal hair growth and improved skin conditions in women with excessive terminal hair.
18 citations
,
January 2009 in “Journal of Endocrinological Investigation” This study concluded that flutamide alone is more effective than finasteride for reducing hirsutism in women, and the combination of both drugs is not superior to flutamide alone.
67 citations
,
September 2008 in “Dermatologic therapy” This paper reviews causes of hirsutism in women and emphasizes the importance of identifying underlying conditions for risk assessment, though it reports no new clinical findings.
66 citations
,
September 2008 in “Dermatologic therapy” This review discusses medical treatments for hirsutism, focusing on oral contraceptives and other therapies, but reports no new results; the authors emphasize the lack of evidence for insulin sensitizers in treating hirsutism alone.
209 citations
,
September 2008 in “Dermatologic Therapy” This review discusses the role of androgens in hair follicle regulation and suggests that a better understanding could enhance treatments for conditions like hirsutism and alopecia, but does not present new findings.
121 citations
,
April 2008 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism” Insulin sensitizers may slightly reduce hirsutism but are less effective than other treatments.
502 citations
,
February 2008 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism” This review discusses hirsutism management guidelines, recommending androgen testing only for women with abnormal hirsutism scores and advocating for combined therapy approaches depending on severity and underlying conditions, but it reports no new clinical results.
150 citations
,
February 2008 in “The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism/Journal of clinical endocrinology & metabolism” This study suggests that antiandrogens may slightly reduce hirsutism severity compared to placebo, but evidence is weak and their relative efficacy remains uncertain.
31 citations
,
January 2008 in “Gynecological endocrinology” In this study, two different estroprogestin treatments significantly improved skin conditions and decreased androgen levels in hyperandrogenic women, with EE/DRSP showing more pronounced hormonal changes and skin improvements compared to EE/CMA.
75 citations
,
November 2007 in “Clinical endocrinology” This study found that several drugs, including flutamide and spironolactone, significantly reduced hirsutism in women, with reduced effectiveness in those with higher BMI.
125 citations
,
February 2007 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology” This study found that adding topical eflornithine to laser hair removal significantly improved the reduction of unwanted facial hair in women over a 6-month period, compared to laser treatment alone.
1744 citations
,
August 2006 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” This review discusses definitions of polycystic ovary syndrome and reports no new clinical results; the authors support using modified 1990 NIH criteria and acknowledge ongoing evolution as research advances.
133 citations
,
July 2006 in “International Journal of Dermatology” This study found that topical eflornithine HCl 13.9% cream effectively reduced facial hair in women, with a favorable safety profile.
167 citations
,
January 2006 in “Gynecological Endocrinology” This study found that women with polycystic ovary syndrome reported a poorer health-related quality of life compared to women in the general population and patients with other medical conditions.
271 citations
,
December 2005 in “New England journal of medicine/The New England journal of medicine” This article discusses evaluation and treatment options for a 19-year-old woman with slowly progressive hair growth and reports no new clinical findings.
3 citations
,
November 2005 in “Journal of Research in Medical Sciences” This study found that six months of using finasteride cream 0.5% did not significantly change the number or thickness of facial hair in women with hirsutism, although patients felt hair growth slowed.
29 citations
,
September 2004 in “Fertility and Sterility” This study found that an intermittent low-dose regimen of finasteride (2.5 mg every 3 days) effectively reduced hirsutism scores in women with idiopathic hirsutism or polycystic ovary syndrome, with fewer side effects than continuous daily administration.
39 citations
,
August 2004 in “International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics” This study found that both finasteride and a regimen of cyproterone acetate plus ethinyl estradiol effectively reduced hirsutism in women, with similar results despite differing hormonal effects.
47 citations
,
March 2004 in “European journal of endocrinology” This study found that the combination of spironolactone and finasteride significantly improved hirsutism scores more than spironolactone alone in women, with similar side-effect profiles between treatments.
947 citations
,
February 2004 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” In this study, polycystic ovary syndrome was the most prevalent cause of androgen excess, and suppressive hormonal therapy improved hirsutism, menstrual dysfunction, and acne in most patients, though side effects were common.
4025 citations
,
December 2003 in “Human Reproduction” This review discusses the evolution of diagnostic criteria for polycystic ovary syndrome and emphasizes its association with various metabolic and cardiovascular risks, but it provides no new research findings.
32 citations
,
October 2003 This review reports that 100 mg/day spironolactone improved hair growth more than placebo and was more effective in reducing hair growth than finasteride and low-dose cyproterone acetate, but its effectiveness for acne remains unclear due to small sample sizes.
78 citations
,
October 2003 in “Cochrane library” This review found that adding cyproterone acetate to estradiol showed a subjective improvement in hirsutism versus placebo, but comparisons with other therapies revealed no clinical differences.
192 citations
,
September 2003 in “The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism/Journal of clinical endocrinology & metabolism” This study suggests that metformin may be more effective than Dianette in treating moderate to severe hirsutism in women with PCOS, while also reducing markers of insulin resistance.
195 citations
,
May 2003 in “Obstetrics and gynecology (New York. 1953. Online)/Obstetrics and gynecology” This review discusses the diagnosis and treatment of hirsutism, emphasizing that a systematic evaluation can determine its cause, while combination therapy effectively manages the condition for most patients.
64 citations
,
May 2003 in “Journal of health psychology” This study found that women with PCOS reported higher overall psychological distress, but there was no significant link between their perceived hirsutism and this distress.
56 citations
,
April 2003 in “Fertility and Sterility” This study found that while cyproterone acetate, finasteride, and spironolactone had similar short-term effects in treating idiopathic hirsutism, spironolactone provided more lasting benefits one year after treatment.
59 citations
,
January 2003 in “Phytomedicine” This study found that a cream containing 2% Fennel extract reduced hair diameter in idiopathic hirsutism patients more effectively than a cream with 1% Fennel or a placebo.
40 citations
,
January 2003 in “Gynecological Endocrinology” This study found that finasteride significantly reduced hirsutism in women with idiopathic hirsutism or polycystic ovary syndrome over six months, suggesting its potential effectiveness for this condition.
12 citations
,
December 2002 in “Fertility and Sterility” In this study, a combination of spironolactone and finasteride was found to significantly improve hirsutism scores without increasing side effects compared to spironolactone alone.
51 citations
,
October 2002 in “European journal of endocrinology” This study found that both high-dose and low-dose finasteride significantly reduced hirsutism scores in women after 12 months, with the lower dose being safe and cost-effective.
90 citations
,
August 2002 in “European journal of endocrinology” This study found that metformin treatment significantly improved hair growth in women with PCOS and hirsutism compared to a placebo.
74 citations
,
April 2002 in “PubMed” This study found that the oral contraceptive containing drospirenone (EE/DRSP) was as effective as EE/CPA in reducing acne lesions, sebum production, and hair growth in women with acne.
27 citations
,
December 2001 in “Clinical and experimental dermatology” This review discusses various hair removal methods, including physical, hormonal, and laser treatment, providing an overview of their advantages and disadvantages without presenting new clinical findings.
63 citations
,
March 2001 in “Fertility and Sterility” This study found that Diane 35 combined with finasteride led to a greater reduction in hirsutism scores over 12 months compared to Diane 35 alone.
27 citations
,
January 2001 in “Endocrine Practice” In this preliminary study, women with facial hirsutism treated with topically applied finasteride cream showed a significant decrease in hair growth and thickness compared to placebo, without adverse effects.
50 citations
,
May 2000 in “Fertility and Sterility” This study found that flutamide was more effective than finasteride in reducing hair growth in women with hirsutism over a one-year period.
50 citations
,
April 2000 in “Fertility and Sterility” This study found that a combination therapy of Diane 35 with finasteride was more effective at reducing hirsutism scores in women with idiopathic hirsutism or polycystic ovary syndrome after 3 months compared to Diane 35 alone.
16 citations
,
January 2000 in “The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism/Journal of clinical endocrinology & metabolism” This study found that serum PSA levels are higher in hirsute women and can be significantly reduced by antiandrogen treatment, suggesting PSA as a marker of androgen action in females.
94 citations
,
January 2000 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” This study found that spironolactone, flutamide, and finasteride are similarly effective in reducing hair diameter and Ferriman-Gallwey scores in women with hirsutism over a 6-month treatment period.
46 citations
,
January 2000 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” 
10 citations
,
January 2000 in “PubMed” This study found that GnRH agonist treatment improved hirsutism scores more than finasteride after six months in women with idiopathic hirsutism, with both treatments causing no menstrual abnormalities or side-effects.
75 citations
,
October 1999 in “European journal of endocrinology” This study found that both finasteride and flutamide effectively reduce hirsutism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome or idiopathic hirsutism, but flutamide was more effective.
32 citations
,
July 1999 in “Fertility and Sterility” This study found that both finasteride and flutamide effectively reduced hirsutism, with flutamide being more effective than finasteride in decreasing hirsutism scores and hair diameter over 12 months.
113 citations
,
April 1999 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” This study found that all four treatments—flutamide, finasteride, ketoconazole, and EE-CPA—significantly reduced hirsutism, but EE-CPA and flutamide appeared most effective, with varying effects on androgen levels and side-effect profiles.
75 citations
,
March 1999 in “Fertility and sterility” This study concluded that finasteride, cyproterone acetate, and flutamide were similarly effective at reducing hirsutism in women, though they acted through different mechanisms.
49 citations
,
June 1998 in “Journal of Endocrinological Investigation” In this study, both cyproterone acetate-estrogen combination (Diane®) and finasteride were effective in reducing hirsutism, but Diane® showed greater long-term efficacy and cost-effectiveness.
8 citations
,
January 1998 in “PubMed” 
76 citations
,
December 1997 in “Fertility and Sterility” This study found that spironolactone was significantly more effective than finasteride in reducing hirsutism scores over 9 months, despite more side effects occurring in the spironolactone group.
1 citations
,
October 1997 in “PubMed” This study found that both finasteride and flutamide significantly decreased hirsutism severity and hair diameter in women with PCOS and Idiopathic Hirsutism, with abdominal hairs showing greater sensitivity to the treatments.
49 citations
,
April 1997 in “Human reproduction” This study found that both a high dose of CPA and GnRHa are effective for treating hirsutism in hyperandrogenic women, but GnRHa with add-back therapy may lead to a longer remission period.
38 citations
,
January 1997 in “Gynecological Endocrinology” This study found that both finasteride and flutamide effectively reduced hirsutism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome, decreasing the Ferriman-Gallwey score and hair diameter without significant side effects.
50 citations
,
July 1996 in “Fertility and Sterility” This study found that finasteride significantly reduced hirsutism scores in women with idiopathic hirsutism and PCOS, despite no changes in serum androgen levels.
62 citations
,
December 1995 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism” This study found that combining a GnRH agonist with a low-dose oral contraceptive was more effective in treating hirsutism than either agent alone and prevented hypoestrogenic side effects.
74 citations
,
December 1995 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism” This study found that treatment with leuprolide plus cyclic estrogen/progestin may lead to a faster and greater improvement in hirsutism compared to a standard oral contraceptive regimen.
132 citations
,
October 1995 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology” This report concludes that the blend method is the most effective electrolysis technique for permanent hair removal, requiring proper technique and preparation such as shaving before treatment to increase efficacy.
70 citations
,
August 1995 in “Fertility and Sterility” In this study, women with idiopathic hirsutism who took finasteride for 9 months experienced a significant reduction in hirsutism scores compared to those receiving a placebo, with minimal side effects.
52 citations
,
January 1995 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” This study observed that finasteride and spironolactone both led to a similar significant, but limited, improvement in hirsutism despite their differing effects on androgen levels.
34 citations
,
January 1995 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” 
4 citations
,
December 1994 in “PubMed” This study found that treatment with cyproterone acetate and estradiol improved emotional well-being and acceptance of being viewed among women with hirsutism, with no significant differences between oral and transdermal estradiol groups.
165 citations
,
February 1994 in “Fertility and Sterility” This study found that flutamide was more effective than spironolactone in reducing symptoms of hirsutism and related conditions in premenopausal women, with fewer discontinuations due to side effects.
94 citations
,
July 1991 in “Clinical endocrinology” In this study, cyproterone acetate at 2 mg daily was found to be as effective as higher doses in reducing hair growth for hirsute women over 12 months.
68 citations
,
May 1991 in “The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism/Journal of clinical endocrinology & metabolism” This study found that both cyproterone acetate and spironolactone effectively reduced hair diameter and plasma testosterone levels in hirsute women, with no significant differences between the two treatments.
4 citations
,
January 1991 in “Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology” This study found that both spironolactone with Ovysmen and cyproterone acetate with ethinyloestradiol significantly reduced hair growth in hirsute women, with no difference in effect between treatments.
100 citations
,
April 1990 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism” This study found that ovarian suppression significantly reduced serum testosterone and androstenedione in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome and idiopathic hirsutism, with hair growth rates decreasing more in polycystic ovarian syndrome.
23 citations
,
July 1989 in “Postgraduate medical journal” This study found that spironolactone 100 mg daily did not demonstrate objective benefits in managing idiopathic hirsutism, as it increased hair shaft diameter without reducing serum androgen levels.
17 citations
,
February 1989 in “Fertility and sterility” In this study, cimetidine at a daily dose of 1.5 gm for 3 months did not significantly affect hair growth in women with moderate to severe hirsutism.
20 citations
,
August 1987 in “Journal of steroid biochemistry/Journal of Steroid Biochemistry” This study suggests that Aldactone may be more effective than Diane in reducing hair growth, despite having minimal impact on hormone levels.
18 citations
,
August 1985 in “European journal of endocrinology” This study found that high-dose cyproterone acetate was effective for treating hirsutism, but 33% of patients felt their condition worsened on low-dose maintenance therapy, despite no significant change in objective measures of hair growth.
142 citations
,
February 1985 in “Fertility and sterility” This study found that spironolactone reduced serum androstenedione and anagen hair shaft diameter in hirsute patients but did not significantly alter unbound testosterone levels, suggesting its effects are primarily peripheral.
53 citations
,
January 1985 in “Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica” This study found that an 8-month treatment with a low-dose oral contraceptive significantly reduced testosterone levels and hair growth in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and hirsutism, with minimal side effects.
2 citations
,
January 1984 in “Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry” This study found that benzodiazepine therapy in women with idiopathic hirsutism significantly increased sex hormone binding globulin and decreased dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, but did not significantly affect hair growth.
33 citations
,
January 1979 in “Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica” This study found that Diane®, a combination of cyproterone acetate and ethinyl estradiol, is an effective contraceptive and treatment for acne and seborrhea, but less effective for pronounced hair growth.
8 citations
,
November 1978 in “British journal of dermatology/British journal of dermatology, Supplement” In this study, cyproterone acetate was found to be effective in treating 'idiopathic' hirsutism, while a combination of ethinyloestradiol and lynoestrenol reduced hair growth in fewer patients despite uniformly lowering testosterone levels.
42 citations
,
December 1976 in “PubMed” This study found that the combination of cyproterone acetate and ethinyl estradiol improved hirsutism and acne in women, with SH 8.1041 showing significant results and both treatments being generally well-tolerated.
