Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil Versus Topical Solution in the Improvement of Androgenetic Alopecia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

November 2023 in “ Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology ”

Ali Asilian, Aida Farmani, Farahnaz Fatemi Naeini

oral minoxidil topical minoxidil androgenetic alopecia hair diameter hair density systemic medication topical therapy side effects therapeutic effects AGA

TLDR Oral minoxidil is more convenient but topical minoxidil improves hair density better.

The study involved 65 patients with androgenetic alopecia and compared the effectiveness of 1mg oral minoxidil to a 5% topical solution over 6 months. Both treatments significantly increased the mean hair diameter, with no significant difference between the two. However, the topical solution showed a significant improvement in hair density in photographic assessments. Despite this, oral minoxidil was found to be more patient-friendly due to its simple daily systemic medication compared to topical therapy. Side effects were reported, but patients in the oral minoxidil group were willing to continue treatment. The study concluded that while topical minoxidil had better overall therapeutic effects, oral minoxidil was more convenient and cost-saving for patients. Further studies with larger numbers of participants and longer follow-up periods are required to determine the optimum dosage of oral minoxidil for males and females with AGA.

View this study on onlinelibrary.wiley.com →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Research cited in this study

25 / 25 results

research Comparison of Oral Minoxidil, Finasteride, and Dutasteride for Treating Androgenetic Alopecia

1 citations, August 2022 in “Journal of Dermatological Treatment”

Dutasteride is the most effective for hair loss but may cause sexual and mental side effects.

Prospective Cardiovascular Evaluation with 24-Hour Holter and Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring in Men Using 5-mg Oral Minoxidil for Androgenetic Alopecia

research Prospective Cardiovascular Evaluation with 24-Hour Holter and Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring in Men Using 5-mg Oral Minoxidil for Androgenetic Alopecia

3 citations, May 2022 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

The conclusion is that 24 weeks of low-dose oral minoxidil is safe for men with hair loss, with no significant changes in heart rate or blood pressure.

research Comparison Between 5% Minoxidil Plus 2% Flutamide Solution vs. 5% Minoxidil Solution in the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia

February 2022 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology”

Using both minoxidil and flutamide together is more effective for treating hair loss than using minoxidil alone.

research Randomized Clinical Trial of Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil for the Treatment of Female Pattern Hair Loss: 0.25 mg Versus 1 mg

3 citations, January 2022 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

1 mg/day of low-dose oral minoxidil is effective and safe for treating female hair loss.

research There Is a Positive Dose-Dependent Association Between Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil and Its Efficacy for Androgenetic Alopecia: Findings From a Systematic Review With Meta-Regression Analyses

2 citations, January 2022 in “Skin appendage disorders”

Low-dose oral minoxidil effectively promotes hair growth but has associated risks.

research Pathogenesis of Androgenetic Alopecia

January 2022

Androgenetic alopecia, or hair loss, is caused by a mix of genetics, hormones, and environment, where testosterone affects hair growth and causes hair to become smaller and grow for a shorter time.

research Oral Minoxidil in Trichology: A Review

January 2022 in “Indian journal of drugs in dermatology”

Oral minoxidil helps with hair growth but needs more research to fully understand its effectiveness and safety.

research Treatment Options for Androgenetic Alopecia: Efficacy, Side Effects, Compliance, Financial Considerations, and Ethics

17 citations, November 2021 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology”

Combination therapies for androgenetic alopecia work best but can have significant side effects and costs.

research A Randomized Clinical Trial on Therapeutic Effects of 0.25 mg Oral Minoxidil Tablets on Treatment of Female Pattern Hair Loss

5 citations, September 2021 in “Dermatologic Therapy”

Oral minoxidil effectively treats female pattern hair loss and is a good alternative to topical minoxidil.

research Minoxidil: A Comprehensive Review

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

Minoxidil effectively treats hair loss, especially androgenetic alopecia, but needs more research for better understanding.

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

21 citations, March 2021

Oral minoxidil effectively treats hair loss, with women needing lower doses (0.25 to 2.5 mg daily) and men needing higher doses (1.25 to 5 mg daily).

research Safety of Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil for Hair Loss: A Multicenter Study of 1404 Patients

39 citations, February 2021 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Low-dose oral minoxidil safely treats hair loss, with hypertrichosis as main side effect.

research Adverse Effects of Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil for Androgenetic Alopecia in 435 Patients

7 citations, November 2020 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Low-dose oral minoxidil may cause side effects like hypertrichosis and is not suitable for everyone.

Efficacy and Safety of Oral Minoxidil 5 mg Once Daily in the Treatment of Male Patients with Androgenetic Alopecia: An Open-Label and Global Photographic Assessment

research Efficacy and Safety of Oral Minoxidil 5 mg Once Daily in the Treatment of Male Patients with Androgenetic Alopecia: An Open-Label and Global Photographic Assessment

24 citations, September 2020 in “Dermatology and therapy”

Oral minoxidil 5 mg daily increases hair growth safely in men with hair loss, with minor side effects.

research Efficacy and Safety of Oral Minoxidil in Female Androgenetic Alopecia

14 citations, September 2020 in “Dermatologic Therapy”

Oral minoxidil improves hair density in women with androgenetic alopecia, with mild side effects.

research Safety of Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil Treatment for Hair Loss: A Systematic Review and Pooled Analysis of Individual Patient Data

14 citations, August 2020 in “Dermatologic Therapy”

Low-dose oral minoxidil is a safe treatment for hair loss, with the main side effect being excessive hair growth. Other side effects like foot swelling, low blood pressure when standing, and heart rate changes are rare.

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”

Oral minoxidil promotes hair growth but may cause side effects; needs monitoring.

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

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

Low-dose oral minoxidil effectively treats non-scarring hair loss with some side effects like hypertrichosis and postural hypotension.

research How Safe Is Prescribing Oral Minoxidil in Patients Allergic to Topical Minoxidil?

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

Oral minoxidil is a reasonably safe alternative for patients allergic to the topical form.

research Platelet-Rich Plasma for Androgenetic Alopecia Treatment: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study

8 citations, January 2020 in “Acta dermato-venereologica”

PRP injections did not significantly improve hair growth.

research Very-Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil in Male Androgenetic Alopecia: A Study with Quantitative Trichoscopic Documentation

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

Low-dose oral minoxidil improved or stabilized hair loss in some patients, but higher doses may be needed for significant effects.

research Minoxidil 1 mg Oral Versus Minoxidil 5% Topical Solution for the Treatment of Female-Pattern Hair Loss: A Randomized Clinical Trial

53 citations, August 2019 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Oral minoxidil and topical minoxidil 5% both effectively improve female-pattern hair loss with safe side effects.

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”

Oral minoxidil helps hair growth, is cost-effective, and mostly well-tolerated.

research Androgenetic Alopecia: An Update Of Treatment Options

110 citations, August 2016 in “Drugs”

Minoxidil is the only FDA-approved topical drug for treating male or female pattern hair loss, and other medications like finasteride and dutasteride can also increase hair growth.