Psychological Characteristics of Men With Androgenetic Alopecia and Effects of Treatment With Topical Minoxidil: An Exploratory Study

This exploratory study from 1988 examined the psychological characteristics of 85 healthy men with early-stage alopecia androgenetica participating in a double-blind clinical trial on the effects of topical minoxidil. The study found no evidence of psychosocial malfunctioning among the participants, who were generally less rigid and more self-confident compared to norm groups. However, over 30% of the subjects reported specific problems related to hair loss. The group treated with minoxidil experienced more psychological improvement concerning hair-related issues, social discomfort, and self-esteem than the placebo group. The study's findings were considered exploratory due to the retrospective nature of the pretest data.