Oral Minoxidil in Trichology: A Review

January 2022 in “ Indian journal of drugs in dermatology ”

PriyankaArun Kowe, Bhushan Madke, ShashankHemant Bansod

oral minoxidil topical minoxidil androgenetic alopecia alopecia areata traction alopecia hair growth antihypertensive drug Rogaine

From the encyclopedia

Alopecia Areata →

autoimmune disorder causing patchy hair loss

Minoxidil →

An essential vasodilator with some anti-androgenic effects

Studysummary This review of available data noted that oral minoxidil shows promise for treating various alopecia disorders, including androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata, but high-quality studies are needed to better understand its effectiveness and mechanisms in these conditions. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

Oral minoxidil, originally an antihypertensive drug, has been found to promote hair growth and is used in treating various hair loss disorders such as androgenetic alopecia, alopecia areata, traction alopecia, and others. The exact mechanism of action and efficacy of oral minoxidil in these disorders remains undetermined. Side effects are generally mild and comparable to topical minoxidil, but patients should be monitored for blood pressure and heart rate. The document reviews various studies that have found oral minoxidil to be effective in treating different types of hair loss, with one study involving 148 women and another comparing 1mg oral minoxidil to 5% topical solution. However, the quality of evidence is low and high-quality studies are needed before advocating the use of oral minoxidil in hair disorders.

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research Combination Tofacitinib and Oral Minoxidil Treatment for Severe Alopecia Areata

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