Treatment of hirsutism with spironolactone

In 1982, a study was conducted on 39 patients with hirsutism to evaluate the effectiveness of spironolactone, an antiandrogenic compound. The treatment, administered at a dose of 200 mg/day, showed a clear beneficial effect on the quantity and quality of facial hair growth in 19 out of 20 patients with moderate to severe hirsutism. Improvements were noticeable within two months, with the maximal effect observed at six months and maintained at 12 months of treatment. The drug was equally effective in reducing hirsutism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and idiopathic hirsutism. The treatment led to a prompt and sustained reduction in levels of ovarian-origin androgen without affecting adrenal androgen and cortisol levels. Apart from diuresis in the first few days, no discernible side effects were observed during the one-year study. The results indicated that spironolactone was a highly effective and safe treatment for hirsutism.