Hormonal treatments can help with hair loss, acne, and excess hair growth, but it takes 3-6 months to see results and patients should know the possible side effects.
6 citations
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January 1984 in “PubMed” Spironolactone treatment reduced hair growth and androgen levels in hirsute women, but the overall effectiveness was just adequate.
December 2023 in “̒Ulūm-i dārūyī” New treatments for excessive hair growth in women, including advanced drugs and nanotechnology, show promise for better results.
60 citations
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September 1979 in “Fertility and sterility” Spironolactone can reduce hair growth in women with hirsutism.
12 citations
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January 2004 in “Reproductive biomedicine online” Low-dose anti-androgen drugs and certain drug combinations are effective for hirsutism, and insulin sensitizers show promise, especially for those with polycystic ovarian syndrome.
Spironolactone was effective in reducing hair growth in women with hirsutism.
January 2025 in “Brazilian Journal of Veterinary Medicine/Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária” Deslorelin implant successfully regrew hair in a female Pomeranian with alopecia X.
December 2016 in “University of Birmingham Institutional Research Archive (University of Birmingham)” Glucocorticoids reduce fat production in liver cells, while androgens increase it in females; manipulating certain enzymes can influence these effects.
94 citations
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January 2000 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Spironolactone most effective for hirsutism, but has side effects.
52 citations
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July 1998 in “Urology” Liarozole may be more effective than cyproterone acetate for treating advanced prostate cancer, with better PSA response and survival rates, while maintaining quality of life.
78 citations
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October 2003 in “Cochrane library” Cyproterone acetate with estradiol may subjectively improve excessive hair growth in women, but it's not clinically better than other treatments.
14 citations
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August 2007 in “Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters” The compound (1R,2S)-4-(2-Cyano-cyclohexyl-oxy)-2-trifluoromethyl-benzonitrile can stimulate hair growth and reduce oil production when applied topically.
1 citations
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February 2022 in “Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology” TDM10842, a thyroid hormone receptor activator, was found to effectively promote hair growth in mice.
47 citations
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March 2004 in “European journal of endocrinology” Spironolactone plus finasteride reduces hirsutism more effectively.
7 citations
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September 1988 in “Baillière's clinical obstetrics and gynaecology” Cyproterone acetate is effective for treating hirsutism and acne in women by blocking androgens in the skin and also works as a contraceptive.
1 citations
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October 2022 in “International journal of endocrinology” Dihydrotestosterone changes some hormone-related gene expressions in rat pituitary glands but doesn't affect the estrous cycle.
Letrozole combined with Cabergoline improves ovulation and pregnancy rates in women with PCOS and high prolactin levels compared to Letrozole alone.
October 2025 in “JEADV Clinical Practice” GLP-1 receptor agonists may increase the risk of a specific type of hair loss called androgenetic alopecia.
56 citations
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April 2003 in “Fertility and Sterility” All three treatments reduce hirsutism, but spironolactone works best long-term.
66 citations
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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.
February 2025 in “medRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)” GLP-1 agonists may increase the risk of hair loss.
November 1982 in “Inpharma” Spironolactone reduces hair growth in women with unexplained excessive hairiness.
September 2025 in “Cureus” GLP-1 agonists may help treat certain skin conditions.
24 citations
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January 2001 in “Dermatologic clinics” Hormonal therapy is a treatment option for acne, the only medical treatment for hirsutism, and the most promising for androgenetic alopecia.
18 citations
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August 1985 in “European journal of endocrinology” Cyproterone acetate is effective for treating hirsutism, but some patients may feel worse on low-dose maintenance therapy.
November 2022 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) boosts hair growth and human scalp hair follicles have their own growth hormone system.
21 citations
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March 1982 in “JAMA” Spironolactone is effective and safe for treating excessive facial hair in women.
1 citations
,
June 2021 in “Biomolecules & Therapeutics” Activating δ-opioid receptors can help hair grow.
12 citations
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December 2002 in “Fertility and Sterility” Spironolactone plus finasteride works better for treating hirsutism.
July 2016 in “British journal of dermatology/British journal of dermatology, Supplement” Hirsutism treatment should focus more on patient needs and quality of life.