What should be kept in mind when treating acne with oral contraceptives? Narrativereview
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12923/pielxxiw-2025-0030Keywords:
contraceptives, treating acne, acne vulgaris, antiandrogensAbstract
Introduction. Acne vulgaris is a common dermatosis where hormonal factors, particularly androgens that increase sebum production, play a key role. This hormonal basis makes therapies with anti-androgenic effects, such as Combined Oral Contraceptives (COCs), a logical and effective treatment strategy. This review will describe the effectiveness and mechanisms of COCs in managing acne.
Aim. The aim of this review is to describe the effectiveness and effects of COC use in the treatment of acne, taking into account acne as a secondary lesion in the course of the below-mentioned conditions.
Material and methods. The medical literature was reviewed on October 19, 2024 using the PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar browsers using the keywords: hormonal contraception, acne vulgaris. The time frame for searching the sample was from 2017 to the current date of the search. 15 articles were identified in the Google Scholar database, 12 in the PubMed database and 26 in the Scopus database.
Results. COCs can be effective in treating acne vulgaris due to their antiandrogenic properties. Androgens are believed to stimulate the growth of sebaceous glands and increase sebum production, contributing to acne formation. COCs are also used to manage other endocrine disorders associated with elevated androgen levels, such as hirsutism and polycystic ovary syndrome.
Conclusions. Acne vulgaris continues to be an important medical and social problem. This dermatosis affects not only young people, but also endocrinological patients or patients receiving permanent treatment. Knowledge of the mechanism of its formation and the role of hormones in its pathogenesis may allow it to determine the appropriate treatment algorithm.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Pola Bakalczuk, Małgorzata Satora, Arkadiusz Grunwald, Krzysztof Kułak, Kinga Brzuszkiewicz, Grzegorz Bakalczuk (Autor)
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