Interventions for Androgenic Alopecia in Women

January 2009 in “ Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews ”

Carlos C Cusmanich, C Whitney Hannon, Régis B Andriolo, Jose Hermenio Cavalcante Lima Filho

TLDR Review determines effective, safe treatments for female hair loss.

This document is a protocol for a review of interventions for androgenic alopecia (AGA) in women, with the aim of determining the effectiveness and safety of available treatment options for female pattern hair loss (FPHL). AGA is the most common type of hair loss affecting both men and women, characterized by continuous thinning of sensitive hair follicles. The review will consider all randomized controlled trials of any design involving any woman diagnosed with AGA or FPHL. The primary outcomes to be considered are the proportion of participants with clinically significant hair regrowth, improvement in quality of life questionnaires, and adverse effects.

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9 / 9 results

research Treatment of Female Pattern Hair Loss With Oral Antiandrogens

179 citations , March 2005 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

Oral antiandrogens effectively treat female hair loss, with better results in higher hair loss grades.

research Decreased Serum Ferritin Is Associated With Alopecia in Women

163 citations , November 2003 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

Low iron levels may be linked to some types of hair loss in women.

research Androgenetic Alopecia in Women

139 citations , June 2003 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings”

Androgenetic alopecia in women needs more research and better management strategies.

research Androgenetic Alopecia: Pathogenesis and Potential for Therapy

174 citations , November 2002 in “Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine”

Hair loss needs more research for better treatments.

research Molecular Mechanisms of Androgenetic Alopecia

229 citations , August 2002 in “Experimental Gerontology”

AGA causes hair loss by shrinking hair follicles due to DHT binding, and can be treated with finasteride and minoxidil.

research Female Pattern Hair Loss

226 citations , September 2001 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Hair loss in women is genetic, diagnosed by examination and biopsy, and treated with minoxidil, finasteride, or transplantation.

research Development of a Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire for Women with Androgenetic Alopecia

31 citations , November 2000 in “Clinical and Experimental Dermatology”

WAA-QOL measures impact of hair loss on women's well-being.

research Androgenetic Alopecia and Microinflammation

131 citations , August 2000 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

Inflammation may be linked to hair loss, and targeting specific enzymes could help treat it.

research Classification of the Types of Androgenetic Alopecia (Common Baldness) Occurring in the Female Sex

666 citations , September 1977 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

Common baldness, also known as Androgenetic Alopecia, is caused by a combination of genetic factors and hormones called androgens.

7 / 7 results

research Controversies in the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia: The History of Finasteride

13 citations , March 2019 in “Dermatologic Therapy”

Finasteride effectively stops hair loss in most patients, but concerns about rare sexual side effects exist.

research Hair Loss Myths: Evaluating Common Misconceptions with Evidence

July 2017 in “PubMed”

Many hair loss myths lack strong evidence, but some treatments are proven to work.

research An Update on the Treatment of Female Alopecia and the Introduction of a Potential Novel Therapy

3 citations , August 2015 in “Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology”

Minoxidil is the only drug proven to improve female hair loss, and dextroamphetamine sulfate may be a new treatment for certain types of hair loss.

research Safety Concerns Regarding 5α Reductase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia

33 citations , June 2015 in “Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity”

5α reductase inhibitors treat hair loss but may cause sexual side effects and risks.

research 5α-Reductase Inhibitors in Androgenetic Alopecia

29 citations , December 2014 in “Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity”

Finasteride and dutasteride effectively treat hair loss in men and women, but may cause side effects like low libido and depression.

research Evidence for Supplemental Treatments in Androgenetic Alopecia

9 citations , July 2014 in “PubMed”

The review doesn't clearly say if biotin, caffeine, melatonin, a marine extract, and zinc are effective for treating hair loss.

research Hair Regrowth in a Male Patient with Extensive Androgenetic Alopecia on Estrogen Therapy

18 citations , September 2012 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Estrogen therapy helped regrow hair in a bald man.