Serum 3α-Androstanediol-Glucuronide Is Decreased in Nonhirsute Women with Acne Vulgaris

In a 1996 study involving 20 nonhirsute women with mild or moderate acne vulgaris and 38 control subjects, researchers found that serum levels of 3α-androstanediol-glucuronide (3α-diolG), an indicator of 5α-reductase activity, were decreased in the acne group. No significant differences in other androgens were observed between the two groups. The study concluded that testosterone, rather than its 5α-reduced metabolites, may play a direct role in acne in female patients, suggesting that 5α-reductase inhibitors might not be effective in treating acne. Further clinical research was recommended to confirm these findings.