Efficacy and Safety of Oral Minoxidil Versus Topical Solution in Androgenetic Alopecia: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

October 2024 in “ International Journal of Dermatology ”

Milene Vitória Sampaio Sobral, João Lucas de Magalhães Leal Moreira, Leonardo Rodrigues, Paula Melani Rocha, Rafaela da Cunha Pirolla, Victor Gonçalves Soares, Deolinda Lima, Isac Ribeiro Moulaz, Beatrhiz Costa da Silva, Caroline Baima de Melo

oral minoxidil topical minoxidil androgenetic alopecia hypertrichosis hair density hair diameter hypotension Rogaine AGA

TLDR Oral and topical minoxidil are equally effective for hair loss, but oral minoxidil causes more unwanted hair growth.

This meta-analysis compared the efficacy and safety of oral minoxidil versus topical minoxidil in treating androgenetic alopecia (AGA) by analyzing four randomized clinical trials with a total of 279 patients. The study found no significant differences between the two treatments in terms of hair density and hair diameter. However, the incidence of hypertrichosis was significantly higher in the oral minoxidil group compared to the topical group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of hypotension between the two groups. Overall, both oral and topical minoxidil showed similar efficacy and safety profiles for patients with AGA.

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