Male and Female Androgenetic Alopecia
April 2008
in “
Blackwell Publishing Ltd eBooks
”
Studysummary AGA causes permanent hair loss; minoxidil helps men, finasteride helps men, minoxidil somewhat helps women, estrogens/antiandrogens lack evidence for women. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
This document discusses androgenetic alopecia (AGA) in both men and women, a genetically determined condition that leads to permanent hair loss. AGA affects a significant percentage of men and women, with the most important androgen-driving AGA in men being dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The document provides information on the efficacy and drawbacks of topical minoxidil and systemic finasteride for treating AGA in men, and topical minoxidil and systemic estrogens/antiandrogens for treating AGA in women. Topical minoxidil is an effective treatment for men with AGA, while systemic finasteride is a safe and effective drug for the treatment of AGA in men. Topical minoxidil is moderately effective for some women with AGA, while systemic estrogens and/or antiandrogens have little convincing evidence that they can stop or delay AGA in women.
