Adverse effects of low-dose oral minoxidil for androgenetic alopecia in 435 patients
April 2021
in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”
TLDR Low-dose oral minoxidil may cause side effects like hypertrichosis and is not suitable for everyone.
The study examined the adverse effects of low-dose oral minoxidil for androgenetic alopecia in 435 patients. The most common adverse effect reported was hypertrichosis, which was associated with younger age and dose/weight in men. Other adverse effects included hypotension, tachycardia, edema, headache, insomnia, and nightmares. The study suggests that low-dose oral minoxidil may not be suitable for all patients with androgenetic alopecia due to the potential for adverse effects.
View this study on jaad.org →
Cited in this study
research Low‐dose oral minoxidil as treatment for non‐scarring alopecia: a systematic review
Low-dose oral minoxidil effectively treats non-scarring hair loss with some side effects like hypertrichosis and postural hypotension.
research A randomized, single-blind trial of 5% minoxidil foam once daily versus 2% minoxidil solution twice daily in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in women
5% minoxidil foam once daily works as well as 2% minoxidil solution twice daily for female hair growth and is more convenient.
Related
research Pustular dermatosis of the scalp due to topical minoxidil 5%
A woman had an unusual allergic reaction to a hair loss treatment, which cleared up after stopping the treatment and using a different medication.
research EFECTIVITY MINOXIDIL AS A TREATMENT OF ALOPECIA AREATA
research Alopecia areata treated with topical minoxidil
Topical minoxidil can help hair regrowth in alopecia areata patients, but maintaining the growth after stopping treatment is inconsistent.