Topical Antiandrogens

The document from 1985 discusses the potential for topical antiandrogens to treat androgen-related skin disorders such as hirsutism, balding, and acne. It highlights the complexity of androgenic effects on different skin structures and the challenge in developing topical treatments that act locally without systemic side effects. The article references a study by Weissmann et al. that demonstrated the local effectiveness of spironolactone, an antiandrogen, in reducing sebaceous gland size in the hamster flank organ model without systemic absorption. However, another antiandrogen, cyproterone acetate, showed systemic effects in the same model. The document emphasizes the importance of understanding the mechanisms of action and metabolic fate of antiandrogens to develop successful topical treatments. It also notes that the effectiveness of an antiandrogen on one skin structure may not be indicative of its effect on another, suggesting that a treatment for acne may not be effective for hirsutism or balding. The document calls for further animal trials and controlled clinical trials to advance the development of targeted antiandrogenic treatments for human skin disorders.