Acne can be a stubborn condition to control. Irritation of hair follicles and overproduction of oil in the sebaceous glands can create unattractive and painful blemishes in people of both genders. Hormonal imbalances in women can do the same. Anti-androgen medications can block the way male hormones interact with a woman's body, including the medication spironolactone. Spironolactone can be used to treat a woman's severe acne if hormones are the cause of the condition.
Step 1
Discuss your severe acne with your doctor if you do not experience a clearing of symptoms with more traditional acne treatments such as topical creams or the antibiotic tetracycline. Nodulocystic acne, or acne that is characterized by painful cysts, may not respond to conventional treatments, making you an ideal candidate to try spironolactone. The New Zealand Dermatological Society reports that spironolactone treatment is most successful in women over the age of 30.
Step 2
Undergo blood tests to measure your hormone levels. Some women develop acne because they have higher-than-normal levels of male hormones called androgens, explains Acne.org, an online information source about acne. Common symptoms of high levels of male hormones include excess body hair and irregular periods as well as acne.
Step 3
Take spironolactone orally, as directed by your physician. Studies discussed in the September 2000 and January 2008 issues of the "Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology" (JAAD) reported that women with facial acne took between 50 and 100 mg of the drug daily. The New Zealand Dermatological Society states that dosages of between 100 and 200 mg daily are safe.
Step 4
Continue to use other acne treatments if your doctor tells you to. Spironolactone may be more successful in healing acne when combined with either topical treatments or birth control pills. Aleksandar Kusic, lead author of a study written up in the January 2008 issue of JAAD, explains that 85 percent of the participants showed a clearing of acne lesions when spironolactone was taken along with an oral contraceptive that contained drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol.
Step 5
Stick with your treatment regimen as prescribed, even if you see an improvement of your acne. Spironolactone treatment may be necessary for as long as two years, depending on individual symptoms. A study performed by the University of Toronto Division of Dermatology showed that long-term use of the medication does not pose any kind of health concern.
Things You'll Need
- Blood tests
- Spironolactone
- Oral contraception
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