A Randomized Trial of Minoxidil in Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia
July 1996
in “
Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology
”
TLDR Minoxidil shortens baldness from chemotherapy by 50.2 days without significant side effects.
A study from 26 years ago investigated the effectiveness and safety of minoxidil in reducing hair loss caused by chemotherapy. The study involved 22 women undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy after breast surgery who were randomly assigned to use a 2% minoxidil topical solution or a placebo. The results showed that the period of baldness was shortened by a mean of 50.2 days in the minoxidil group, and there were no significant side effects. The study suggests that minoxidil can decrease the duration of alopecia caused by chemotherapy.