Systemic Steroids With or Without 2% Topical Minoxidil in the Treatment of Alopecia Areata

November 1992 in “ Archives of Dermatology ”

Elise A. Olsen, Susan Carson, Elizabeth A. Turney

systemic steroids topical minoxidil alopecia areata hair regrowth poststeroid hair loss steroids minoxidil

From the encyclopedia

Alopecia Areata →

autoimmune disorder causing patchy hair loss

Minoxidil →

An essential vasodilator with some anti-androgenic effects

Studysummary In this study, tapering prednisone followed by 2% topical minoxidil helped limit hair loss in some patients with alopecia areata, with 30% to 47% showing over 25% hair regrowth initially.

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

This 30-year-old study investigated the effectiveness of systemic steroids with or without 2% topical minoxidil in treating alopecia areata. The study found that systemic steroids were effective in inducing hair regrowth, with 47% of patients experiencing significant regrowth after a 6-week taper of systemic steroids. The study also found that 2% topical minoxidil appears to help limit or slow poststeroid hair loss in patients with alopecia areata. However, the duration of the effect of a short course of systemic steroids on hair regrowth in alopecia areata is limited, with regrown hair typically falling out 4 to 9 weeks after discontinuing steroid therapy.

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