Hair Restoration: Looking Beyond Minoxidil, Finasteride, and Hair Transplantation

January 2015

Sidharth Sonthalia

minoxidil finasteride androgenetic alopecia hair transplantation follicular microinflammation oxidative stress extracellular matrix proteins Rogaine Propecia AGA

TLDR The document concludes that current hair loss treatments have limitations and suggests researching new treatments targeting different factors of hair loss.

The document from 2015 discusses the limitations of the two FDA-approved treatments for androgenetic alopecia (AGA), minoxidil (MNX) and finasteride (FIN), and the challenges of hair transplantation. It points out that MNX and FIN have limited efficacy, delayed effects, and can cause adverse effects such as sexual dysfunction (FIN) and scalp irritation (MNX), with their effectiveness plateauing after 1-2 years. The psychological impact of hair loss is acknowledged, emphasizing the need for new treatments. The document suggests that targeting other AGA factors like follicular microinflammation, oxidative stress, and loss of extracellular matrix proteins could lead to novel treatments, which will be detailed in an upcoming review article in the Journal of Cosmetology and Trichology.

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