75 citations,
July 2013 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Taking low-dose spironolactone and metformin together works better for PCOS symptoms than either drug alone.
143 citations,
January 2013 in “Dermatologic surgery” In-office laser hair removal works well long-term, especially Nd:YAG for darker skin, but home devices need more testing.
46 citations,
October 2012 in “Dermatologic Clinics” Female pattern hair loss diagnosed by scalp appearance, treated with combined therapies and targeted approaches.
1514 citations,
December 2011 in “Fertility and sterility” Experts agree that PCOS affects women's health in complex ways, but more research is needed to understand and treat it effectively.
198 citations,
October 2011 in “Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft” Use minoxidil for hair loss; finasteride and dutasteride for men, dutasteride for women.
100 citations,
June 2011 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” 5% minoxidil foam once daily works as well as 2% minoxidil solution twice daily for female hair growth and is more convenient.
35 citations,
January 2011 in “Clinical Endocrinology” Metformin should be used for PCOS mainly in those with glucose intolerance, and has limited benefits for infertility or hirsutism.
60 citations,
February 2010 in “Gynecological Endocrinology” Metformin combined with lifestyle changes improves insulin resistance and reduces testosterone levels in women with PCOS more than lifestyle changes alone.
373 citations,
September 2009 in “Obstetrics & Gynecology” The bulletin provides guidelines for diagnosing and managing PCOS, suggesting weight loss, hormonal contraceptives, and diabetes screening, with clomiphene for infertility and various treatments for excess hair.
288 citations,
June 2009 in “Human reproduction update” The modified Ferriman-Gallwey method is a useful tool for diagnosing hirsutism.
17 citations,
December 2008 in “Dermatology” Taking metformin with intense-pulsed-light therapy improves hair removal for people with PCOS.
343 citations,
December 2008 in “Endocrine Reviews” Metformin helps with menstrual cycles and insulin levels in PCOS but is less effective for hair growth, diabetes prevention, and weight loss, and may improve fertility and reduce diabetes risk.
212 citations,
September 2008 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Minoxidil and finasteride treat hair loss in men, while minoxidil treats hair loss in women.
66 citations,
September 2008 in “Dermatologic therapy” The conclusion is that the best initial treatment for hirsutism is usually oral contraceptives, with the addition of antiandrogens or insulin sensitizers if needed, and topical eflornithine or laser treatments as supplementary options.
121 citations,
April 2008 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism” Insulin sensitizers may slightly reduce hirsutism but are less effective than other treatments.
150 citations,
February 2008 in “The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism/Journal of clinical endocrinology & metabolism” Antiandrogens are somewhat effective in reducing excessive hair growth in women.
91 citations,
November 2007 in “European journal of endocrinology” Metformin helps with PCOS symptoms no matter the patient's initial insulin resistance or weight.
129 citations,
October 2007 in “The New England Journal of Medicine” Over one-third of women experience hair loss, with female-pattern hair loss being most common, and treatments include minoxidil and possibly hair transplantation.
125 citations,
February 2007 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology” 
76 citations,
January 2007 in “American Journal of Clinical Dermatology” Women with PCOS often have skin problems like excessive hair, acne, hair loss, and dark patches, which can be treated with hormonal and non-hormonal therapies.
133 citations,
July 2006 in “International Journal of Dermatology” 
67 citations,
July 2006 in “Clinics in Dermatology” Androgens cause skin issues like acne and hair growth in women, often due to PCOS, and can be treated with medication and lifestyle changes.
97 citations,
July 2006 in “Dermatologic therapy” The document concludes that accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment are important for skin problems in women with PCOS.
20 citations,
April 2006 in “Dermatologic Clinics” Antiandrogen therapies are beneficial for treating skin and hair conditions related to androgen levels.
108 citations,
March 2006 in “Archives of Dermatology” Finasteride with oral contraceptive helps improve hair loss in premenopausal women.
179 citations,
March 2005 in “British Journal of Dermatology” Oral antiandrogens effectively treat female hair loss, with better results in higher hair loss grades.
104 citations,
January 2005 in “Climacteric” Drospirenone is a unique progestin with anti-water retention and potential blood pressure benefits, used in birth control and hormone therapy.
219 citations,
March 2004 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” 5% and 2% minoxidil solutions effectively promote hair growth and reduce hair loss, with 5% being slightly more effective but having more side effects.
72 citations,
January 2004 in “Dermatology” Finasteride can slow hair loss and promote growth in postmenopausal women.
56 citations,
April 2003 in “Fertility and Sterility” All three treatments reduce hirsutism, but spironolactone works best long-term.
40 citations,
January 2003 in “Gynecological Endocrinology” Finasteride effectively reduces hair growth in women with polycystic ovary syndrome or idiopathic hirsutism.
51 citations,
October 2002 in “European journal of endocrinology” Low-dose finasteride effectively treats hirsutism, is safe, and cost-effective.
90 citations,
August 2002 in “European journal of endocrinology” Metformin improves hair growth and menstrual frequency in women with PCOS and hirsutism.
149 citations,
June 2002 in “British Journal of Dermatology” Minoxidil works better for female hair loss, but cyproterone reduces scalp oiliness and causes menstrual issues.
50 citations,
May 2000 in “Fertility and Sterility” Flutamide reduces hair growth better but has more side effects.
75 citations,
October 1999 in “European journal of endocrinology” Finasteride is a safe, effective treatment for hirsutism with fewer side effects.
70 citations,
August 1995 in “Fertility and Sterility” Finasteride reduces hairiness and androgen levels in women with unexplained excessive hair growth.
165 citations,
February 1994 in “Fertility and Sterility” Flutamide is more effective and has fewer side effects than spironolactone for treating hirsutism.
23 citations,
July 1989 in “Postgraduate medical journal” Spironolactone did not make hair thinner in women with excess hair growth.
142 citations,
February 1985 in “Fertility and sterility” Spironolactone reduced hair thickness and some testosterone levels in women with excessive hair growth.
64 citations,
January 1985 in “Clinical endocrinology” A combination of desogestrel and ethinyl oestradiol effectively reduces hair growth in hirsute women.
53 citations,
January 1985 in “Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica” Low-dose oral contraceptives reduced hair growth and testosterone levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
