Evidence-based (S3) guideline for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in women and in men – short version
January 2018
in “Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology”
TLDR
Use minoxidil for hair loss treatment; assess results after 6 months.
This document is a summary of an evidence-based guideline for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) in men and women. The guideline recommends the use of minoxidil 2% solution twice daily for female patients, and either minoxidil 2% solution twice daily or minoxidil 5% solution or foam applied once daily for male patients. The response to treatment should be assessed at 6 months, and treatment should be continued to maintain efficacy. The main side-effect of topical minoxidil is hypertrichosis, and it is recommended to pause use during pregnancy and lactation. Combination therapy with finasteride 1 mg and 5% minoxidil topical solution led to better improvement than monotherapies in male patients. Dutasteride 0.5 mg daily was also found to be effective in treating AGA in both men and women.
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