Minoxidil, Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP), or Combined Minoxidil and PRP for Androgenetic Alopecia in Men: A Cost-Effectiveness Markov Decision Analysis of Prospective Studies

December 2021 in “ Cureus ”

Kevin M. Klifto, Sammy Othman, Stephen J. Kovach

minoxidil platelet-rich plasma PRP androgenetic alopecia AGA Hamilton-Norwood stages Rogaine

From the encyclopedia

An essential vasodilator with some anti-androgenic effects

growth factors taken from your blood and injected into your scalp to stimulate hair

Studysummary This study found that for managing early-onset androgenetic alopecia in men, minoxidil monotherapy is cost-effective at a $50,000 willingness-to-pay threshold, while combining minoxidil with platelet-rich plasma becomes cost-effective at a $100,000 threshold.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of minoxidil monotherapy, PRP monotherapy, and combined minoxidil+PRP therapy for treating androgenetic alopecia in men over a 35-year period. Minoxidil monotherapy was found to be the most cost-effective treatment at a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of $50,000, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $52,036/QALY for minoxidil+PRP and $439,303/QALY for PRP. At a WTP threshold of $100,000, combining minoxidil with PRP became cost-effective. The study concluded that minoxidil 5% topical twice-daily monotherapy is a cost-effective treatment for men with AGA Hamilton-Norwood stages I-V at a $50,000 WTP threshold, while minoxidil+PRP is cost-effective at a $100,000 threshold.

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Research cited in this study

17 / 17 results

research Platelet-Rich Plasma for Androgenetic Alopecia: Efficacy Differences Between Men and Women

10 citations , August 2020 in “Dermatologic Therapy”

This study found that platelet-rich plasma significantly increased hair diameter in both men and women with androgenetic alopecia but improved hair density only in men.

research Comparison of Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy With or Without Topical 5% Minoxidil in Male-Type Baldness: A Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo Control Trial

26 citations , December 2019 in “Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology”

This study found that platelet-rich plasma combined with topical minoxidil was more effective in increasing hair density for male-type baldness than either treatment alone.

research Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections in the Treatment of Male Androgenetic Alopecia: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Crossover Study

9 citations , September 2019 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology”

This study found that platelet-rich plasma injections significantly increased hair density in men with androgenetic alopecia compared to placebo, but further research is needed to understand factors influencing treatment success.

Advances in Regenerative Stem Cell Therapy in Androgenic Alopecia and Hair Loss: Wnt Pathway, Growth Factor, and Mesenchymal Stem Cell Signaling Impact Analysis on Cell Growth and Hair Follicle Development

research Advances in Regenerative Stem Cell Therapy in Androgenic Alopecia and Hair Loss: Wnt Pathway, Growth Factor, and Mesenchymal Stem Cell Signaling Impact Analysis on Cell Growth and Hair Follicle Development

136 citations , May 2019 in “Cells”

This review discusses the advancements in intraoperative stem cell therapies and highlights their potential to improve hair regrowth, but it reports no new clinical results.

Platelet-Rich Plasma and Micrografts Enriched with Autologous Human Follicle Mesenchymal Stem Cells Improve Hair Regrowth in Androgenetic Alopecia: Biomolecular Pathway Analysis and Clinical Evaluation

research Platelet-Rich Plasma and Micrografts Enriched with Autologous Human Follicle Mesenchymal Stem Cells Improve Hair Regrowth in Androgenetic Alopecia: Biomolecular Pathway Analysis and Clinical Evaluation

69 citations , April 2019 in “Biomedicines”

This study found that hair thickness and density increased after treatment with human follicle mesenchymal stem cells and platelet rich plasma, associated with enhanced Wnt signaling and platelet derived growth factors.

Platelet-Rich Plasma and Microneedling Improve Hair Growth in Patients with Androgenetic Alopecia When Used as an Adjuvant to Minoxidil

research Platelet-Rich Plasma and Microneedling Improve Hair Growth in Patients with Androgenetic Alopecia When Used as an Adjuvant to Minoxidil

24 citations , January 2019 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology”

In this study, the authors reported that among patients with androgenetic alopecia, treatment with minoxidil 5% lotion combined with PRP and microneedling resulted in better hair growth and higher satisfaction compared to other treatment groups.

research A Study to Compare the Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma and Minoxidil Therapy for the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia

18 citations , January 2019 in “International Journal of Trichology”

This study found that PRP therapy resulted in better hair growth and patient satisfaction than minoxidil therapy in men with androgenetic alopecia over six months, and patients with higher platelet counts in PRP experienced greater improvement.

research Association of Hair Loss With Health Utility Measurements Before and After Hair Transplant Surgery in Men and Women

14 citations , September 2018 in “JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery”

This study found that hair transplant surgery significantly improves health utility scores compared to untreated androgenetic alopecia in both men and women, as perceived by laypeople.

Bayesian Measurement-Error-Driven Hidden Markov Regression Model for Calibrating the Effect of Covariates on Multistate Outcomes: Application to Androgenetic Alopecia

research Bayesian Measurement-Error-Driven Hidden Markov Regression Model for Calibrating the Effect of Covariates on Multistate Outcomes: Application to Androgenetic Alopecia

5 citations , May 2018 in “Statistics in Medicine”

This study found that the proposed Bayesian measurement-error-driven hidden Markov regression model effectively calibrated inflated covariate effect sizes in a community-based survey on androgenetic alopecia regardless of misclassification type.

Autologous Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Versus Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection in the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia: Efficacy, Side Effects, and Safety

research Autologous Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Versus Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection in the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia: Efficacy, Side Effects, and Safety

2 citations , January 2018 in “Journal of clinical & experimental dermatology research”

This study suggests that AT-ASCs significantly improve terminal and intermediate hair counts and hair caliber in androgenetic alopecia more than PRP, though with more side effects like headache and erythema.

research Evidence-Based Guideline for the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia in Women and Men – Short Version

145 citations , November 2017 in “Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology”

This guideline review by the European Dermatology Forum evaluates current treatments for androgenetic alopecia but reports no new research findings, aiming to assist dermatologists in selecting safe and effective therapies.

research Association Between Gender and Drug Cost for Over-the-Counter Minoxidil

8 citations , June 2017 in “JAMA Dermatology”

Women pay more for the same 5% minoxidil foam than men, but prices for liquid solutions are similar.

A Comparative Study of Microneedling with Platelet-Rich Plasma Plus Topical Minoxidil (5%) and Topical Minoxidil (5%) Alone in Androgenetic Alopecia

research A Comparative Study of Microneedling with Platelet-Rich Plasma Plus Topical Minoxidil (5%) and Topical Minoxidil (5%) Alone in Androgenetic Alopecia

48 citations , January 2017 in “International Journal of Trichology”

This study found that combining microneedling with PRP and topical minoxidil (5%) significantly improved hair growth in men with androgenetic alopecia compared to using minoxidil alone.

A Single-Center, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial to Investigate the Efficacy and Safety of Minoxidil Topical Foam in Frontotemporal and Vertex Androgenetic Alopecia in Men

research A Single-Center, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial to Investigate the Efficacy and Safety of Minoxidil Topical Foam in Frontotemporal and Vertex Androgenetic Alopecia in Men

19 citations , January 2015 in “Skin Pharmacology and Physiology”

This study reported that using 5% minoxidil topical foam twice daily improved hair density and width in both the frontotemporal and vertex regions of men with moderate androgenetic alopecia.

research The Effect of Autologous Activated Platelet Rich Plasma Injection on Pattern Hair Loss: Clinical and Histomorphometric Evaluation

183 citations , January 2014 in “BioMed Research International”

This study reported that AA-PRP injections significantly increased hair count and density in individuals with pattern hair loss compared to baseline, demonstrating their potential for enhancing hair growth.

research Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing 5% and 1% Topical Minoxidil for the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia in Japanese Men

29 citations , July 2009 in “Journal of Dermatology”

This study confirmed that 5% topical minoxidil is more effective than 1% in increasing hair density in Japanese men with androgenetic alopecia, with no significant difference in adverse event rates.

research Efficacy of 5% Minoxidil Versus Combined 5% Minoxidil and 0.01% Tretinoin for Male Pattern Hair Loss

43 citations , January 2007 in “American Journal of Clinical Dermatology”

This study concluded that a combined once-daily solution of 5% minoxidil and 0.01% tretinoin is as effective and safe as the conventional twice-daily 5% minoxidil application for treating androgenetic alopecia in men.