Baseline Hair Loss Severity as a Potential Confounder in Studies on Minoxidil and Low-Level Laser Therapy

The document discusses the potential confounding effect of baseline hair loss severity in studies comparing the efficacy of minoxidil alone versus minoxidil combined with low-level laser therapy for androgenic alopecia. The authors argue that the initial severity of hair loss can significantly influence treatment outcomes, with early-stage alopecia patients potentially showing more improvement than those with advanced hair loss. They suggest that future research should stratify participants by baseline severity or use statistical adjustments to provide more accurate efficacy assessments and improve clinical decision-making.