Outcome of long-term treatment with the 5α-reductase inhibitor finasteride in idiopathic hirsutism: clinical and hormonal effects during a 1-year course of therapy and 1-year follow-up

The study evaluated the long-term efficacy of finasteride in treating idiopathic hirsutism in women. The treatment lasted for 12 months, and the follow-up period lasted for another 12 months. The results showed that finasteride was effective and well-tolerated in long-term treatment of women with idiopathic hirsutism, with a remarkable reduction in hirsutism score after 12 months of treatment. Post-treatment follow-up suggested that drug effects on hair growth were sustained in the majority of subjects with this disorder. The study concluded that 5α-reductase inhibition provides the most rational approach to treatment of hirsutism in women with normal serum androgens, but careful contraception is needed during therapy.