Project Lead:
Andrea Zaenglein, MD
Penn State College of Medicine
Overview:
Oral contraceptive pills and the hormonal anti-androgen treatment, spironolactone, are both proven effective treatments for women with acne. Their safety and efficacy in younger patients with acne, however, have not been established. This consensus process will address questions related to using hormonal treatments in younger acne patients. How young is too young to start an oral contraceptive pill for the treatment of acne? Is spironolactone effective for a 12-year-old with acne? What risks are there with starting a hormonal treatment in young adolescents? Will they affect pubertal development? Bone density? Experts in acne, pediatric endocrinology, and adolescent gynecology will methodically review all available research data and provide expert advice when data is not available. At the end of the process, guidelines on the best practices for using hormonal therapies on patients aged 9-15 years will be created and published.
Status:
This was funded through a 2023 PeDRA Consensus Guidelines Grant.
