ReviewClinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology2025
Efficacy and Safety of Hormonal Therapies for Acne: A Narrative Review.
Review in Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Topical Retinoids in Acne Vulgaris and Acne Scars-From Monotherapy to Combining Regimens.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Neurohormonal-Immune Dysregulation in Rosacea: Emerging Perspectives from the Skin-Gut-Brain Axis.Drug design, development and therapy · 2026Review
- Nanoencapsulated α-Mangostin Loaded Chitosan-Alginate Hydrogel Films for Enhanced Topical Anti Acne Therapy.Drug design, development and therapy · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Acne vulgaris is a common inflammatory skin disease with a strong hormonal component, especially in women. Hormonal therapies are increasingly used in moderate-to-severe or treatment-resistant cases. This review aims to summarize current evidence on the efficacy and safety of hormonal treatments for acne. Materials and Methods: A narrative review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, including studies published from 2010 to 2025. Eligible articles included randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses evaluating hormonal therapies such as combined oral contraceptives (COCs), spironolactone, cyproterone acetate, and topical antiandrogens (eg, clascoterone). Data were extracted on mechanisms of action, clinical efficacy, safety, and treatment indications to ensure consistent synthesis across therapies. Results: Spironolactone consistently reduced lesion counts and improved quality of life in adult women, with good tolerability and a low risk of hyperkalemia. COCs effectively decreased both inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions, with similar efficacy across different progestins. Clascoterone, a topical antiandrogen, showed significant improvement in lesion counts with minimal systemic absorption. Preliminary evidence also supports the use of topical spironolactone. Compared with antibiotics, hormonal therapies provide durable disease control and avoid antimicrobial resistance. Conclusion: Hormonal therapies are effective and well-tolerated options for acne, particularly in women with hormonal patterns or refractory disease. By specifically targeting androgen-driven pathways, hormonal agents offer sustained improvement and should be incorporated into personalized acne management.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.