Drugs And Devices In Prevention And Treatment Of Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia: When And How Should Be Employed

The document reviewed various drugs and devices for preventing and treating chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA). Scalp cooling, which works through local vasoconstriction, showed CIA prevention rates of 50-80% and was recommended despite some side effects like headache and nausea. Topical minoxidil (2% and 5%) was not recommended due to clinical inefficacy. Topical vasoconstrictors like epinephrine and norepinephrine were recommended for CIA prevention, especially for their extended action period. Topical bimatoprost 0.03% showed some clinical improvement but was not recommended for CIA prevention. The authors concluded that, aside from scalp cooling, no effective drugs for CIA prevention were available and suggested using trichoscopy and trichogram to guide treatment.