Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil for Treating Alopecia: A 3-Year North American Retrospective Case Series

October 2020 in “ Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology ”

Renée A. Beach, Katherine McDonald, Bianca Muylaert Barrett

low-dose oral minoxidil alopecia hypertrichosis scalp hair growth hair shedding LDOM

Studysummary This letter discusses the limited adaptation of low dose oral minoxidil for androgenetic alopecia in North America and reports no new clinical results; the authors suggest safety concerns or unclear dosing may be factors. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

This retrospective case series analyzed the use of low-dose oral minoxidil (LDOM) for treating alopecia over a 3-year period in North American patients. A total of 74 patients were prescribed 1.25mg LDOM nightly for at least three months, with an average treatment duration of 10 months across patients who continued therapy. The follow-up rate was 72%, and 84% of those who started the treatment requested re-prescription. Increased scalp hair growth was reported in 65% of patients (33/51), and decreased hair shedding was observed in 27% (14/51). The treatment was generally well-tolerated, with no new cardiac diagnoses or morbidity reported. Side effects included hypertrichosis, which led to an increased dosage in some patients. The study concluded that LDOM is a convenient, cost-effective, and well-tolerated treatment option for alopecia, with a notable efficacy in increasing hair growth, particularly in the crown region of the scalp.

View this study on jaad.org →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Research cited in this study

2 / 2 results

Oral Minoxidil Bio-Activation by Hair Follicle Outer Root Sheath Cell Sulfotransferase Enzymes Predicts Clinical Efficacy in Female Pattern Hair Loss

research Oral Minoxidil Bio-Activation by Hair Follicle Outer Root Sheath Cell Sulfotransferase Enzymes Predicts Clinical Efficacy in Female Pattern Hair Loss

9 citations , August 2019 in “Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology”

Minoxidil activation by hair enzymes predicts treatment success for female hair loss.

research Case Series of Oral Minoxidil for Androgenetic and Traction Alopecia: Tolerability and the Five C’s of Oral Therapy

36 citations , September 2018 in “Dermatologic Therapy”

This study found that 78% of patients continued taking oral minoxidil for androgenetic or traction alopecia, with 33% reporting decreased hair shedding and 28% noting increased scalp hair.