Prevention of Temporal Alopecia Following Rhytidectomy

The document summarizes a retrospective study that investigated the effectiveness of topical minoxidil in preventing temporal hair loss following cervicofacial rhytidectomy (facelift surgery). The study included 60 female patients with a mean age of 58 years. Patients were treated with either 2% or 5% topical minoxidil for 2 weeks before and 4 weeks after surgery, with a 5-day break starting on the day of surgery. The results indicated that transient temporal alopecia occurred in only one patient, which resolved after reintroducing minoxidil, suggesting a protective role of the medication. No significant side effects of minoxidil were reported, and the incidence of other complications was not increased by its use. The study concluded that minoxidil is effective in preventing temporal hair loss following facelift surgery and does not predispose patients to a higher rate of other complications. The authors recommend a larger future study to determine the optimal duration of prophylactic minoxidil use.