Management of Hair Loss

April 2005 in “ Dermatologic Clinics ”

Elizabeth K. Ross, Jerry Shapiro

male pattern hair loss female pattern hair loss telogen effluvium alopecia areata 5% minoxidil oral finasteride 2% minoxidil antiandrogens corticosteroids topical immunotherapy minoxidil foam MPHL FPHL AA Rogaine Propecia

From the encyclopedia

Alopecia Areata →

autoimmune disorder causing patchy hair loss

Minoxidil →

An essential vasodilator with some anti-androgenic effects

Finasteride →

Frontline, gold standard treatment for combatting androgenic alopecia

Studysummary This article reviews treatment options for male-pattern and female-pattern hair loss, telogen effluvium, and alopecia areata, but provides no new clinical results; algorithmic management approaches are included.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

The document from 2005 provides an overview of treatments for hair loss, including male and female pattern hair loss (MPHL and FPHL), telogen effluvium, and alopecia areata (AA). For MPHL, 5% minoxidil and oral finasteride are FDA-approved, with 57% of men experiencing regrowth after 48 weeks on minoxidil and 66% after 2 years on finasteride. Combination therapy may be more effective. For FPHL, 2% minoxidil is FDA-approved, with 63% of women showing regrowth in a 32-week study. Non-approved treatments include antiandrogens with variable effectiveness. For AA, treatments like corticosteroids, topical immunotherapy, and minoxidil are used, with a foam formulation of corticosteroids showing 61% of patients achieving significant regrowth at 8 weeks. The document emphasizes the need for individualized treatment plans and acknowledges the complexity of managing hair loss.

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Research cited in this study

46 / 46 results

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A Randomized Clinical Trial of 5% Topical Minoxidil Versus 2% Topical Minoxidil and Placebo in the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia in Men

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research Lack of Efficacy of Finasteride in Postmenopausal Women with Androgenetic Alopecia

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research Topical Minoxidil in Extensive Alopecia Areata, Including 3-Year Follow-Up

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research Topical Tretinoin for Hair Growth Promotion

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research Topical Minoxidil Dose-Response Effect in Alopecia Areata

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research Topical Minoxidil in the Treatment of Alopecia Areata

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34 citations , November 1974 in “Archives of Dermatology”

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research Local Injection of Steroids and Hair Regrowth in Alopecias

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