Selecting an Oral Contraceptive Agent for the Treatment of Acne in Women

Authors: Willem A. van Vloten1; Vigfus Sigurdsson1

Source: American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, Volume 5, Number 6, 2004 , pp. 435-441(7)

Publisher: Adis International

Key:
Free Content - Free Content
New Content - New Content
Subscribed Content - Subscribed Content
Free Trial Content - Free Trial Content

Abstract:

In women, acne can be successfully treated with oral contraceptives. This article focuses on the results of clinical studies on the treatment of acne with oral contraceptives. From the literature, 12 such studies could be traced over the last 10 years. Most of the studies were multicenter, randomized, and double blind. Five studies were placebo controlled. All of these studies were analyzed and compared with each other. Statistically, all placebo-controlled studies showed a better result with the active treatment, than with the placebo. However, the placebo groups also showed an improvement in the acne lesions. In seven studies, two oral contraceptives were compared for their effect on acne vulgaris. All oral contraceptives studied showed a beneficial effect on the severity of acne.

It can be concluded, based on these studies, that all oral contraceptives have a more or less beneficial effect on mild to moderate acne in women. Comparing the various clinical trials, ethinylestradiol/drospirenone is as good as ethinylestradiol/cyproterone, which is slightly better than ethinylestradiol/desogestrel and ethinylestradiol/gestodene. Ethinylestradiol/chlormadinone is slightly better than ethinylestradiol/levonorgestrel, which is as effective as ethinylestradiol/norethindrone, which is far better than the placebo. Ethinylestradiol/norgestimate is better than placebo.

Keywords: Oral contraceptives, therapeutic use; Acne, treatment

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

The full text electronic article is available for purchase. You will be able to download the full text electronic article after payment.

$62.95 plus tax      Refund Policy

 

OR

Back to top

Key:
Free Content - Free Content
New Content - New Content
Subscribed Content - Subscribed Content
Free Trial Content - Free Trial Content
Share this item with others: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Page Help Click here for Page Help
Shopping cart
Tools
Sign in






Need to register?
Sign up here
Text size: A | A | A | A