Spironolactone For Hormonal Acne

Severe hormonal acne cannot be treated by over the counter products. It is treated by hormonal base treatments. Most common prescription medications do not work on hormonal base acne. Some women are intolerant to those medicines or they do not react to them. Normally hormonal acne is treated with accutane or Spironolactone (aldactone). Accutane is prescribed when every other medicines fails to treat acne. It has many severe side effects thats why it is strictly proscribed under regular monitoring. If a person is taking accutane, then he should be aware of its side effects.

Spironolactone:

Spironolactone is very effective acne treatment for hormonal severe acne. It blocks androgen receptors hormones which decreases the effect that the hormones have on oil production which leads to decrease in acne. It also helps to decrease the formation of androgen hormones which cause acne formation. This medicine does not only helps to control acne but it helps to prevent further breakouts.

Spironolactone:

Spironolactone is prescribed with oral contraceptives. Some times doctors prescribe only oral contraceptives which do not effect acne completely, in this cases doctors prescribe spironolactone with those contraceptives and this combination is very effective. The whole treatment takes 3 to 4 months. This treatment is only effective for those women whose acne is specially caused by hormonal imbalance.

Side Effects:

The most common side effect is menstruation irregularities and breast tende
ess. It normally resolves in two three months of therapy. The most severe side effect is increased blood potassium level but it only occurs in patients with kidney issues. As spironolactone is also used to treat high blood pressure, so it may cause low blood pressure. In this case doctors monitor patient's blood pressure regularly. Like accutane, during Spironolactone there is no birth defects in fetus. But it is suggested not to take this treatment during pregnancy or if you are trying to conceive due to the potential effects it may have on a developing male fetus.