off-label dermatology drugs

Dutasteride Therapeutic Cheat Sheet
by Azam Qureshi, MD on
Androgenic alopecia (AGA) is one of the most common forms of hair loss and represents a frequently faced disabling concern in dermatology visits. Targeting the 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) pathway has been shown to be an efficacious mechanism of action, with finasteride being the only systemic FDA-approved drug to treat male AGA. Recently, its sister drug, dutasteride, has been increasingly utili …

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Clascoterone Cream | Therapeutic Cheat Sheet
clascoterone
by Kamaria Nelson, MD on
Clascoterone cream is a novel topical therapeutic agent used to treat acne vulgaris through androgen inhibition. Other androgen inhibitors such as combined oral contraceptive pills and off-label spironolactone can lead to some unwanted side effects such as feminization, gynecomastia, and erectile dysfunction, making them unsuitable for male patients. Unlike other androgen inhibitors used to manage …

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Off-Label Use of Oral Metronidazole in Dermatology | Therapeutic Cheat Sheet
by Adrianna Gonzalez Lopez, MD on
While we have an increasing armamentarium of biologic agents and targeted systemic medications for certain dermatologic conditions such as psoriasis or atopic dermatitis, treatment options are still limited for a litany of other inflammatory cutaneous disorders. Additionally, when discussing therapeutic options, patients often opt for medications that are established, safe, well-tolerated and mini …

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Tips and Tricks for Diagnosing & Managing Atopic Dermatitis (AD)
atopic dermatitis
by Edita Newton, MD on
Atopic dermatitis is a heterogeneous, chronic inflammatory disease that affects upwards of 10% of children and 7% of adults in the United States. Despite being an incredibly common skin concern among patients, AD continues to pose diagnostic and treatment challenges to dermatologists. What are some common misconceptions about AD? AD always starts in childhood. FALSE. 25% of adults w …

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Thalidomide for Dermatologic Conditions | Therapeutic Cheat Sheet
Thalidomide
by Emily Murphy, MD on
Thalidomide was introduced in the 1950s as a “safe” sleeping medication; however, it quickly became vilified and was removed from the market for its severe teratogenic effects, most commonly phecomelia, or loss of arms and legs. Despite these devastating birth defects, thalidomide has a variety of indications for dermatologic conditions, with manageable side effects when used appropriately. We …

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