Oral Minoxidil Versus Topical Minoxidil for Male Androgenetic Alopecia

April 2024 in “ JAMA dermatology ”

Mariana Álvares Penha, Hélio Amante Miot, Michał Kasprzak, Paulo Müller Ramos

oral minoxidil topical minoxidil androgenetic alopecia AGA terminal hair density frontal region vertex region hypertrichosis headache Rogaine

TLDR Oral minoxidil is as effective as topical minoxidil for male hair loss but has more side effects like excessive hair growth and headaches.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial involving 90 men with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) found that daily oral minoxidil (5 mg) did not show superiority over topical minoxidil (5%) after 24 weeks of treatment. The study, conducted at a specialized clinic in Brazil, found that both treatments had similar efficacy. The primary outcome was change in terminal hair density on the frontal and vertex regions of the scalp. The most common side effects in the oral minoxidil group were hypertrichosis (49%) and headache (14%). Therefore, oral minoxidil can be an option for patients who prefer oral therapy or are intolerant to topical treatment.

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