An Experimental Study Evaluating the Effect of Minoxidil on the Growth Cycle of Hair Follicles

The study evaluated the effect of topically-applied minoxidil on the hair growth cycle in inbred Herston white mice and HRA/Skh1 hairless mice. Minoxidil was applied at 1% and 3% concentrations daily from birth until 25 days of age. The study found that minoxidil had no recognizable effect on the hair growth cycle during neonatal hair growth and the spontaneous wave of hair loss occurring 16 to 17 days after birth. Despite the negative results, the study highlighted the potential use of apoptosis as a marker for the catagen phase in dermatopathology research.