Minoxidil: Hope for the Bald?

This document from 36 years ago discusses the use of minoxidil for treating androgenic alopecia, or male pattern baldness. The studies reviewed indicate that less than 10% of men treated obtain a result that a neutral observer would find cosmetically acceptable. The drug has to be used for about eight months before one can tell whether it is having a useful effect. The observations suggest that about two-thirds of the men treated will lose their hair again when they stop applying the drug. Despite the unimpressive results of treatment with minoxidil, licensing of the drug for this indication will create a great demand for it.