Oral Minoxidil in Non-Androgenic Alopecias

November 2023 in “ Piel ”

J. Hernandez, Sergio Vañó Galván, David Saceda Corralo, Adrián Imbernón

Minoxidil oral Minoxidil non-androgenic alopecia androgenic alopecia peripheral vasodilator hair growth pathways chronic telogen effluvium traction alopecia hirsutism postural hypotension lower limb edema Rogaine

Studysummary This literature review explores the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacy of low-dose oral minoxidil as a treatment for various non-androgenic types of alopecia, finding it to be a promising alternative for these conditions despite the need to establish optimal dosing for different demographics. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

The document discusses the use of oral Minoxidil, a medication traditionally used for hypertension and topical treatment of androgenic alopecia, in treating various types of non-androgenic alopecia. The mechanism of action is not fully understood, but it is known to act as a potent peripheral vasodilator and stimulate hair growth pathways. Dosage varies from 0.25 to 5 mg/day, with lower doses suggested for children, adolescents, and women, and higher doses for men. The document cites several studies, including one with 36 women with chronic telogen effluvium who showed hair fall improvement, and another with 18 patients with traction alopecia who reported decreased hair fall and increased hair density. Side effects can include hirsutism, postural hypotension, and lower limb edema. The document concludes that oral Minoxidil is an emerging therapy that has shown benefits in androgenic alopecia and could be an alternative treatment in other alopecias, with a good safety profile and few contraindications. Lower doses appear to be a safe and effective option to reduce side effects.

View this study on sciencedirect.com →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Research cited in this study

29 / 29 results

research Comprehensive Review of Oral Minoxidil in Alopecia

September 2022 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology”

This review reports that oral minoxidil has shown promising results in treating various types of alopecia, including androgenetic alopecia and female pattern hair loss, at low doses with minimal side effects, offering an alternative to topical treatments.

research Systemic Minoxidil for Hair Disorders in Pediatric Patients: A Safety and Tolerability Review

August 2022 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

In this study, low-dose oral minoxidil and sublingual minoxidil were generally well-tolerated in children with alopecia, with mild hypertrichosis as the most common adverse event.

research Serious Adverse Effects From Compounding Errors With Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil for Alopecia Treatment

11 citations , February 2022 in “Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas”

This study reports serious adverse effects resulting from compounding errors when using low-dose oral minoxidil to treat alopecia.

Sublingual Minoxidil for the Treatment of Male and Female Pattern Hair Loss: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Phase 1B Clinical Trial

research Sublingual Minoxidil for the Treatment of Male and Female Pattern Hair Loss: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Phase 1B Clinical Trial

5 citations , August 2021 in “Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology”

In this phase 1B clinical trial, sublingual minoxidil was tested for its effects on male and female pattern hair loss in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled setting, but the abstract does not provide specific results or conclusions.

research Minoxidil: A Comprehensive Review

16 citations , June 2021 in “Journal of Dermatological Treatment”

This study reported that while topical minoxidil exhibits hair regrowth in androgenetic alopecia, oral minoxidil 5 mg/day was more effective than topical forms after six months, with low doses also potentially effective for women and other hair loss types.

research Review of Oral Minoxidil as Treatment of Hair Disorders: In Search of the Perfect Dose

21 citations , March 2021

This study reviewed the literature on low-dose oral minoxidil as a primary treatment for various hair loss disorders, concluding that it is a successful and well-tolerated alternative to topical minoxidil for patients with poor adherence to other therapies.

research Coming Full Circle (Almost): Low Dose Oral Minoxidil for Alopecia

5 citations , January 2021 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

This article reflects on the history and significance of the FDA's approval of topical minoxidil for treating androgenetic alopecia in men and women, dating back to 1988 and 1991 respectively.

research Topical and Oral Minoxidil for Hair Disorders in Pediatric Patients: What Do We Know So Far?

12 citations , July 2020 in “Dermatologic Therapy”

This review discusses the use of topical and oral minoxidil for pediatric hair disorders, pointing out the lack of guidelines and the potential risks associated with systemic absorption, but reports no clinical results.

research Oral Minoxidil Treatment for Hair Loss: A Review of Efficacy and Safety

59 citations , July 2020 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

This study concluded that oral minoxidil is an effective and well-tolerated alternative to topical minoxidil for healthy patients struggling with application-related compliance issues.

research Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil as Treatment for Non-Scarring Alopecia: A Systematic Review

19 citations , June 2020 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

In this systematic review, oral minoxidil was found to be a safe and effective treatment for androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata, with additional benefits for female pattern hair loss and other types of alopecia, although common side effects included hypertrichosis and postural hypotension.

research Treatment of Male and Female Pattern Hair Loss with Sublingual Minoxidil: A Retrospective Case-Series of 64 Patients

16 citations , May 2020 in “Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology”

This publication involves a case-series report on the treatment of male and female pattern hair loss using sublingual minoxidil in 64 patients, but it does not include an abstract or results.

research Oral Minoxidil Improves Background Hair Thickness in Lichen Planopilaris

15 citations , April 2020 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

This article discusses the challenges of treating lichen planopilaris, reviews various therapeutic options including minoxidil, and reports no new clinical findings.

research Combination Tofacitinib and Oral Minoxidil Treatment for Severe Alopecia Areata

23 citations , September 2019 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

In this retrospective analysis, combination therapy with tofacitinib and oral minoxidil led to significant scalp hair regrowth in patients with severe alopecia areata, with 67% achieving at least 75% regrowth, although the small sample size limits the findings.

Oral Minoxidil Bio-Activation by Hair Follicle Outer Root Sheath Cell Sulfotransferase Enzymes Predicts Clinical Efficacy in Female Pattern Hair Loss

research Oral Minoxidil Bio-Activation by Hair Follicle Outer Root Sheath Cell Sulfotransferase Enzymes Predicts Clinical Efficacy in Female Pattern Hair Loss

9 citations , August 2019 in “Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology”

Minoxidil activation by hair enzymes predicts treatment success for female hair loss.

research Oral Minoxidil for the Treatment of Female Androgenic Alopecia and Other Alopecias

7 citations , May 2019 in “Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas”

Oral minoxidil may help with female hair loss.

research Effectiveness and Safety of Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil in Male Androgenetic Alopecia

52 citations , May 2019 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of low-dose oral minoxidil (2.5-5 mg daily) in men with male androgenetic alopecia, aiming to contribute data to an area with limited previous reports. Results are not provided in the abstract.

research Case Series of Oral Minoxidil for Androgenetic and Traction Alopecia: Tolerability and the Five C’s of Oral Therapy

36 citations , September 2018 in “Dermatologic Therapy”

This study found that 78% of patients continued taking oral minoxidil for androgenetic or traction alopecia, with 33% reporting decreased hair shedding and 28% noting increased scalp hair.

research Loose Anagen Hair Syndrome: Treatment with Systemic Minoxidil Characterized by Marked Hair Color Change

12 citations , March 2018 in “Australasian Journal of Dermatology”

This letter to the editor discusses the use of systemic minoxidil for loose anagen hair syndrome, noting a significant change in hair color, but reports no new study results.

research Female Pattern Hair Loss: A Pilot Study Investigating Combination Therapy with Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil and Spironolactone

80 citations , December 2017 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

This study reported that once-daily treatment with oral minoxidil and spironolactone for 12 months reduced hair loss severity and hair shedding in women with pattern hair loss, with generally mild side effects, though results came from an uncontrolled, observational pilot study.

research Treatment of Chronic Telogen Effluvium with Oral Minoxidil: A Retrospective Study

40 citations , September 2017 in “F1000Research”

In this study, women with chronic telogen effluvium experienced reduced hair shedding after being treated with once daily oral minoxidil for 12 months, but facial hypertrichosis was a reported side effect, suggesting the need for further placebo-controlled research.

research A Practical Approach to the Diagnosis and Management of Hair Loss in Children and Adolescents

40 citations , July 2017 in “Frontiers in Medicine”

This review highlights that in children, hair loss can be attributed to diverse conditions like alopecia areata and tinea capitis, and stresses the importance of a holistic approach to diagnosis and management, including psychosocial support due to limited effective treatments.

research Familial Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia Treated With Dutasteride, Minoxidil, and Artificial Hair Transplantation

17 citations , June 2016 in “Australasian Journal of Dermatology”

In this case report, a 46-year-old woman with familial frontal fibrosis alopecia experienced initial stabilization of hair loss with dutasteride and minoxidil, but artificial hair transplantation led to implant folliculitis, requiring removal of the fibers.

research Treatment of Monilethrix with Oral Minoxidil

37 citations , May 2016 in “JAAD case reports”

This abstract describes monilethrix, an autosomal dominant genodermatosis with symptoms like hair fragility and keratosis pilaris, and does not report new experimental results.

Treatment of Permanent Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia with Low Dose Oral Minoxidil

research Direct T-Cell Effects of Minoxidil

7 citations , October 1988 in “Clinics in Dermatology”

Minoxidil may help hair regrowth in alopecia areata by affecting T-cells.

research Evaluation of Oral Minoxidil in the Treatment of Alopecia Areata

34 citations , November 1987 in “Archives of Dermatology”

This study found that oral minoxidil showed limited cosmetic effectiveness in treating severe alopecia areata, with only 18% of patients experiencing a noticeable response.