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Antiandrogens are often indicated to treat severe male sexual disorders, such as hypersexuality (excessive sexual desire) and sexual deviation, specifically paraphilias, as well as use as a antineoplastic agent and palliative, adjuvant or neoadjuvant hormonal therapy in prostate cancer.

Antiandrogens can also be used for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate enlargement), acneAcne is an inflammatory disease of the skin, caused by changes in the pilosebaseous units(skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland). The most common form of acne is known as acne vulgaris which means common acne., androgenetic alopecia ( male pattern baldness), and hirsutismHirsutism is the excessive growth of hair, particularly on a woman's face, torso and limbs, and is generally caused by increased androgens. It is a common sign of polycystic ovary syndrome in women. It can also be caused by a pituitary tumour or other ser (excessive hairHair is also a musical: see Hair (musical) and Hair (movie Hair is the filamentous outgrowth of the epidermis found in mammals. Hair is a characteristic of all mammals, though in some species hair is absent at certain stages of life. Hairs" are also foundiness). They are also occasionally used as a male contraceptive agent, to purposefully prevent or counteract masculinisation in the case of transwomen undergoing gender reassignment therapyTopics relating to transitioning Gender reassignment therapy is an umbrella term for all medical procedures regarding gender reassignment of both transgendered and intersexual people. Sometimes also called sex reassignment . Gender reassignment therapy co, and to prevent the symptoms associated with reduced testosteroneTestosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group. It is the principal male sex hormone and the "original" anabolic steroid. Sources of testosterone Like other steroid hormones testosterone is derived from cholesterol. The largest amounts of testo, such as hot flushes, following castration.

The administration of antiandrogens in males can result in slowed or halted development or reversal of male secondary sex characteristics, reduced activity or function of the accessory male sex organs, and hyposexuality (diminished sexual desire or libido).

The term antiandrogen withdrawal response (AAWR) describes the medical course taken when cancer cells adapt to feed on the antiandrogens rather than androgen, so that treatment must be halted in order to starve those cells thriving on the antiandrogens.

Currently available antiandrogen drugs (brand names in parentheses) include:

• Spironolactone (Aldactone, Spiritone), a synthetic 17-spirolactone corticosteroid, which is a renal competitive aldosterone antagonist in a class of pharmaceuticals called potassium-sparing diuretics, used primarily to treat low- renin hypertension, hypokalemia, and Conn's syndrome.
• Cyproterone acetate (Androcur), a synthetic steroid, a potent antiandrogen that also possesses progestational properties.
• Flutamide (Eulexin), nilutamide (Anandron, Nilandron) and bicalutamide (Casodex), nonsteroidal, pure antiandrogens. Flutamide is the oldest and has more unwanted side effects than the others. Bicalutamide is the newest and has the least side effects.
• Ketoconazole (Nizoral), an imidazole derivative used as a broad-spectrum antifungal agent effective against a variety of fungal infections, side effects include serious liver damage and reduced levels of androgen from both the testicles and adrenal glands. Ketoconazole is a relatively weak antiandrogen.
• Finasteride (Proscar, Propecia) and dutasteride (Avodart), inhibitors of the 5-α-reductase enzyme that prevent the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Finasteride blocks only 5-α-reductase type II, dutasteride also blocks type I. They are not general antiandrogens in that they don't counteract the effects or production of other androgens than DHT.