May 202615
Minoxidil-spironolactone combinations ranked most effective for androgenetic alopecia in a network meta-analysis, though rankings carried uncertainty. Low-level laser therapy added roughly 19 hairs/cm² versus sham and boosted minoxidil, while fractional lasers combined with minoxidil or PRP also improved growth. Adding oral agents to PRP produced numerically higher but nonsignificant density gains, with moderate alopecia predicting better response. In alopecia areata, JAK inhibitors were reported transformative for severe disease, with class-wide concerns, relapse after stopping, and undefined long-term safety requiring careful patient selection. A chemotherapy-alopecia review proposed follicle immune privilege collapse via JAK-STAT, flagging immunosuppression and malignancy risks with JAK inhibitors in cancer patients.
- Combination Therapy in Androgenetic Alopecia: A Network Meta-Analysis of Minoxidil and Other Pharmacological Agents Network meta-analysis of 27 RCTs: minoxidil plus spironolactone ranked most effective for AGA, with flutamide, finasteride, and PRP combinations also beating placebo, though rankings carry uncertainty.
- Lasers and Energy-Based Devices in the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Meta-analysis of 37 studies: LLLT added ~19 hairs/cm² versus sham and boosted minoxidil; fractional lasers combined with minoxidil or PRP gave the largest gains, with mild transient adverse events.
- Therapeutic update on alopecia areata: a critical review of standard and emerging targeted therapies Review: JAK inhibitors have transformed severe alopecia areata treatment, baricitinib first FDA-approved, but class-wide concerns (infections, possible weight gain via leptin), high cost, relapse after stopping, and undefined long-term safety require careful patient selection.
- Hydrogel microneedle delivery of a palmitoylated peptide promotes hair regeneration via dual activation of Wnt/β-catenin and cAMP–PKA signaling In mice, hydrogel microneedles delivering a palmitoylated peptide activated Wnt/β-catenin and cAMP signaling and regrew hair comparably to minoxidil with less frequent dosing.
- Additive Effects of Platelet-Rich Plasma and Systemic Therapies in Androgenetic Alopecia: A Retrospective Study Retrospective study of 55 AGA patients: adding oral minoxidil, spironolactone, or 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors to PRP gave numerically higher but nonsignificant density gains; moderate AGA predicted better response.
- Reconstructing protein conformations to activate follicular enzyme-nutrient reservoirs for reversing follicle aging A zinc/copper-doped decellularized matrix microneedle patch restored follicular enzyme activity, suppressed stem cell senescence, and promoted hair regeneration in a degenerative alopecia animal model.
- Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia Beyond Cytotoxicity: Hair Follicle Immune Privilege Collapse and JAK-STAT Signaling Review proposes chemotherapy-induced alopecia involves hair follicle immune privilege collapse via JAK-STAT signaling and weighs JAK inhibitors as treatment, flagging immunosuppression and malignancy risks in cancer patients.
- A guide for studying spatiotemporal variability in murine hair cycle and hair growth wave patterns in vivo Whole-mount mapping in mice showed hair cycle timing varies more between individuals, body regions, sexes, and ages than previously appreciated; a practical guide for future mouse studies.
- Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide improves hair regrowth in androgenetic alopecia mice and is associated with coordinated changes in local steroid metabolism, ESR1 activation, and keratin-related follicular responses In AGA mice, Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide dose-dependently improved regrowth, lowering local DHT and SRD5A1 while increasing aromatase and estrogen receptor activation.
- Patient preferences for treatment characteristics of Janus kinase inhibitors for alopecia areata: a discrete choice experiment Discrete choice survey of 302 AA patients: scalp regrowth mattered most (60% relative importance), then speed of regrowth; deuruxolitinib's blinded profile was most preferred.
- Chitosan in aesthetic practice: A clinical narrative review of skin, scar, and scalp applications Narrative review: chitosan aids post-laser recovery and topical delivery; microneedling-assisted chitosan matched minoxidil for hair density in small studies, with limited generalizability.
- Dutasteride-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier for androgenic alopecia treatment – An in vivo study In mice, dutasteride-loaded lipid nanoparticles made with pumpkin seed and saw palmetto oils accumulated in follicles for two weeks, suggesting weekly-interval dosing may be feasible.
- Role of dermaroller-mediated microneedling in hair follicle stimulation and hair growth Review found just three studies on dermaroller monotherapy for hair loss, with conflicting results, no standardized protocols, and only mild reported adverse effects.
- Effectiveness, Tolerability, and Acceptance of a Food Supplement in the Management of Non‐Illness‐Related Hair Loss and Thinning Open-label 12-week study: a millet–pantothenic acid–cystine–biotin supplement cut shedding 59% and raised anagen proportion in 112 mostly female subjects with mild diffuse hair loss.
- Early removal of post-operative scabs after follicular unit extraction using a 2% salicylic acid keratolytic shampoo: a multicentre descriptive pilot study Single-arm pilot in 21 men: a 2% salicylic acid shampoo used from 48–72 hours after FUE gently removed scabs with good tolerability and high satisfaction.