Efficacy and Safety of Combined Microneedling Therapy for Androgenic Alopecia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 13 randomized clinical trials involving 696 subjects with androgenic alopecia (AGA) aged 18-60 years found that combined microneedling (MN) therapies significantly increased hair density and diameter compared to single treatments. The combined MN therapies included treatments such as Minoxidil, PRP, Finasteride, Spironolactone, Dutasteride, and Fibroblast growth factors solution. The treatment intervals ranged from twice a week to every 4 weeks, and the course of treatment ranged from 2.5 to 6 months. The combined MN group also showed improvements in the telogen hair count, follicle number, RVHTH, and hair pull test. There was no significant difference in adverse events between the combined MN group and the monotherapy group, and no serious adverse reactions were reported. Despite limitations such as the impossibility of blinding and allocation concealment, small sample size, and differences in MN device types and treatment protocols, the study concluded that MN is a promising treatment for AGA.