Evaluation of the Safety and Effectiveness of Oral Minoxidil in Children: A Systematic Review

This systematic review evaluated the safety and effectiveness of oral minoxidil in children, analyzing 41 studies involving 442 pediatric patients. The findings suggest that low-dose oral minoxidil (≤2.5 mg) is a safe and effective treatment for pediatric hair disorders, with manageable side effects such as hypertrichosis (12.1%), hypotension (5.6%), and headaches (2.1%). No patients discontinued treatment due to adverse effects. However, moderate-dose (2.6–15 mg) and high-dose oral minoxidil were associated with more severe side effects, including generalized hypertrichosis and pericardial effusion, indicating that these doses may not be safe for children.