Spironolactone Reduces Facial and Body Hair in Women with Hirsutism

In a study from 1986, 48 premenopausal women with either idiopathic hirsutism or hirsutism associated with polycystic ovary syndrome were treated with spironolactone at a dosage of 100mg three times daily. After 3 months, the participants experienced a 39% reduction in facial hair and a 29% reduction in body hair, with similar reductions across all body parts. A smaller, yet significant, reduction in body hair was observed at 12 months in 16 patients. Subjective assessments reported by 42 patients indicated moderate or marked improvement. However, the treatment caused menstrual irregularities in some women, including polymenorrhoea in 3 out of 22 women with regular menses and various changes in menstrual patterns in 16 out of 22 women with oligomenorrhoea. Other side effects included transient nausea and mild diuresis. The study concluded that spironolactone was effective in reducing hair growth in women with hirsutism, but suggested that further research was needed to determine if a lower dose could maintain the improvements while causing fewer menstrual irregularities.