Medical Treatment Regimens of Hirsutism

The document from 2004 discusses the challenge of treating hirsutism, a condition causing excessive hair growth in women, which can be due to high androgen levels or increased hair follicle sensitivity to androgens. The management of hirsutism, including both cosmetic approaches and medical treatments, was not fully satisfactory at the time. Anti-androgen drugs were central to treatment but had side effects that sometimes led to discontinuation, and they often required long-term use. The review highlighted that low-dose anti-androgen drugs had shown effectiveness in maintaining treatment. Successful drug combinations for reducing hirsutism scores included cyproterone acetate with ethyniloestradiol and spironolactone, cyproterone acetate with ethyniloestradiol and finasteride, and spironolactone with finasteride. Additionally, insulin sensitizers showed promise, especially for patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome. The review focused on the characteristics of anti-androgen drugs, new combined treatments, and the role of insulin sensitizers in managing hirsutism.