Faculty Opinions recommendation of Topical valproic acid increases the hair count in male patients with androgenetic alopecia: a randomized, comparative, clinical feasibility study using phototrichogram analysis.
TLDR Applying valproic acid on the scalp increased hair growth in men with hair loss.
In a study conducted 9 years ago, the anticonvulsant valproic acid (VPA) was topically tested on 27 male patients with androgenetic alopecia (AGA). The study was based on the hypothesis that VPA inhibits glycogen synthase kinase 3β and activates the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The results showed that VPA was superior to a placebo in increasing total hair count, as determined by phototrichogram analysis. This suggested that topical VPA could potentially be a new therapeutic approach for men with AGA.
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