Spironolactone

Spironolactone is a medicine increasingly used for acne in females. It is licensed as a diuretic, in other words a medicine which causes production of an increased amount of urine to remove excess fluid from the body. Spironolactone has an anti-androgen effect, which means that it antagonises testosterone. Testosterone, even at normal female blood levels, may act as a driving force for acne in some women.

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Spironolactone can be particularly effective for persistent nodular acne around the jaw area. It takes a couple of months to have an effect, and is usually very well tolerated. Some women may find that their menstrual cycle is slightly disturbed. Spironolactone is a treatment that can be safely continued, and only needs to be stopped if a woman wishes to get pregnant.

 

We suggest that you read the patient information leaflet on the website of the British Association of Dermatologists https://www.bad.org.uk/pils/spironolactone.