Stanozolol as a novel therapeutic agent in dermatology.

Anabolic steroids are synthetic derivatives of testosterone that were developed in the 1950s in an attempt to dissociate the anabolic and androgenic effects of testosterone. The anabolic steroid stanozolol has been particularly helpful because it has one of the largest anabolic/androgenic ratios. In addition, stanozolol has substantial fibrinolytic properties. We discuss the safety profile and the use of stanozolol for a variety of clinical applications. Stanozolol is approved for use in the treatment of hereditary angioedema, but numerous reports have detailed the effectiveness of this agent in the treatment of urticaria, Raynaud's phenomenon, and, more recently, cryofibrinogenemia and lipodermatosclerosis. Side effects are mostly dose related and are preventable with appropriate follow-up.