Quality of Life in Women with Female Pattern Hair Loss and the Impact of Topical Minoxidil Treatment

May 2013 in “ Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine ”

Xiaosheng Zhuang, You-You Zheng, Jiajia Xu, Weixin Fan

female pattern hair loss topical minoxidil quality of life DLQI VAS psoriasis FPHL Rogaine

Studysummary This study found that topical minoxidil improved the quality of life in female patients with pattern hair loss. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

The study aimed to assess the quality of life (QoL) of female patients with female pattern hair loss (FPHL) and determine the effectiveness of topical minoxidil treatment in improving their QoL. The QoL of the patients was severely impaired by FPHL, and the results of the study demonstrated that topical minoxidil improved the QoL of the patients. The study found that there was a correlation between the severity of hair loss and the DLQI score, and that the DLQI and VAS scales were negatively correlated. The study suggests that FPHL impairs the QoL of female patients to the same extent as certain lifelong skin disorders such as psoriasis, and that topical minoxidil treatment can improve the QoL of FPHL patients.

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Research cited in this study

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research Quality of Life Assessment in Male Patients with Androgenetic Alopecia: Results of a Prospective, Multicenter Study

101 citations , January 2012 in “Annals of Dermatology”

In this study, researchers found that androgenetic alopecia significantly harms quality of life, particularly in younger patients, those with more severe or long-term alopecia, and those who have sought non-medical hair care.

research Oral Finasteride Improved the Quality of Life of Androgenetic Alopecia Patients

23 citations , December 2010 in “Journal of Dermatology”

In this study, oral finasteride improved the quality of life for male patients with androgenetic alopecia, but it did not significantly reduce anxiety or correlate with reported anxiety levels.

research Prevalence of Androgenetic Alopecia in China: A Community-Based Study in Six Cities

126 citations , January 2010 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

This study found that the prevalence of androgenetic alopecia in Chinese men and women was lower than in Caucasians and similar to that in Koreans.

research Prevalence of Male and Female Pattern Hair Loss in Maryborough

193 citations , August 2005 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings”

This study found that the prevalence of androgenetic alopecia increases with age among both men and women in Maryborough, Australia, with 57% of women and 73.5% of men aged 80 and over affected.

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397 citations , February 2004 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

This article reviews the mechanisms by which minoxidil stimulates hair growth and reports no new clinical findings.

research Psychological Features of Androgenetic Alopecia

46 citations , September 2002 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology”

In this study, depression was more common among women with androgenetic alopecia, while men showed higher levels of anxiety, aggressiveness, and a lack of adherence to treatment.

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138 citations , March 2001 in “Clinics in Dermatology”

This review discusses the relationship between perceived stress and hair loss or graying, exploring hair follicles as a model system but reports no new clinical results.

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37 citations , January 1997 in “Clinics in Dermatology”

This study found that women with androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata had significantly lower serum ferritin levels compared to women without hair loss.

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222 citations , October 1993 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

This study found that androgenetic alopecia causes significant psychological distress, particularly in women, who exhibit a more negative body image and less adaptive functioning compared to controls.

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58 citations , September 1991 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

This study found that women with androgenetic alopecia reported more psychosocial problems and lower self-esteem than women with non-visible skin conditions and men with androgenetic alopecia, which they attributed to their hair loss.

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70 citations , April 1990 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Minoxidil treatment increased hair growth for up to 5 years, requiring twice daily application.