A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 5% and 2% topical minoxidil solutions in the treatment of female pattern hair loss

    Anne W. Lucky, Daniel Piacquadio, Chérie M. Ditre, Frank Dunlap, Irwin Kantor, Amit G. Pandya, Ronald C. Savin, Michael D. Tharp
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    TLDR 5% and 2% minoxidil solutions effectively promote hair growth and reduce hair loss, with 5% being slightly more effective but having more side effects.
    This document is a compilation of summaries of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 5% and 2% topical minoxidil solutions in the treatment of female pattern hair loss. The study involved 381 women who were randomly assigned to one of the three groups. The results showed that both the 5% and 2% minoxidil solutions were significantly more effective than the placebo in promoting hair growth and reducing hair loss. The 5% solution was found to be slightly more effective than the 2% solution. However, the 5% solution had more adverse events than the 2% solution and the placebo. Overall, the study concluded that topical minoxidil is an effective treatment for female pattern hair loss.
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