Combating Dread Shed: The Impact of Overlapping Topical and Oral Minoxidil on Temporary Hair Shedding During Oral Minoxidil Initiation

The study examined whether continuing topical minoxidil while starting low-dose oral minoxidil (LDOM) reduces temporary hair shedding, known as "dread shed." A review of 115 patients at NYU Langone Health found that 5.2% experienced dread shed, with no significant difference between those who overlapped therapies and those who did not. The study concluded that overlapping topical and oral minoxidil does not significantly impact the occurrence of dread shed, indicating that continuing topical minoxidil during LDOM initiation may not be clinically beneficial. Further research with larger samples is needed to address this side effect.