No Association Between Patient Demographics And Adverse Effects Of Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil In A Retrospective Cohort Study Of Nonscarring Alopecia Patients
January 2026
in “
Dermatology Practical & Conceptual
”
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Studysummary This study suggests that side effects of low-dose oral minoxidil for hair loss are infrequent and demographics did not influence this risk, but dosage relative to body weight may affect adverse event incidence. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
This retrospective cohort study analyzed 142 patients with nonscarring alopecia treated with low-dose oral minoxidil (LDOM) to assess the association between patient demographics and adverse effects (AEs). The study found that AEs were relatively uncommon, with only 13.3% of patients experiencing any AE, and no significant association was found between AEs and demographics such as sex, age, race, or ethnicity. The findings suggest that LDOM is a safe treatment for hair loss, with AEs being less common than previously thought, and that patient demographics do not impact the risk of AEs. The study highlights the importance of individualized monitoring for AEs, considering other factors like patient weight. Limitations include the small cohort size and retrospective design.
