Topical Minoxidil Treatment for Congenital Alopecia in Hypohidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia

A decade ago, a case study was conducted on a 4-year-old boy with congenital alopecia caused by hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, a rare genetic disorder characterized by the absence or dysgenesis of at least 2 ectodermal derivatives, such as hair, nails, teeth, or sweat glands. The boy showed dramatic hair growth after application of 3% topical minoxidil, 1 mL twice daily, for a year. The treatment had no adverse effects and improved the boy's quality of life. The study concluded that topical minoxidil alone can be used as the treatment of choice for congenital alopecia in ectodermal dysplasia.