Use of Topical Minoxidil, 17α-Estradiol, and Hydrocortisone Butyrate in Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia

May 2014 in “ European Journal of Inflammation ”

Alberto Rossi, Alberto Orso Maria Iorio, Marco Scarnò, Maria Caterina Fortuna, L. Priolo, D. Di Nunno, Marta Carlesimo, Stefano Calvieri, E. Mari

minoxidil 17α-estradiol hydrocortisone butyrate Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia FFA Rogaine estradiol hydrocortisone frontal fibrosing alopecia

TLDR A lotion with minoxidil, hydrocortisone butyrate, and 17a-estradiol can improve or stabilize Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia in some cases, but there's no universally-accepted treatment yet.

In 2014, a study involving 40 women with Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia (FFA) evaluated the effectiveness of a topical lotion containing minoxidil, hydrocortisone butyrate, and 17a-estradiol. The lotion was applied daily for 36 months. The results showed improvement in 20 patients, stabilization in 15, and worsening in 5. The study concluded that the lotion significantly improved or stabilized FFA, with no observed side effects. However, the study also acknowledged the lack of a universally-accepted treatment for FFA due to its complex nature and incomplete understanding of its causes.

View this study on journals.sagepub.com →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Cited in this study

15 / 15 results

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Review of 60 Cases

166 citations , November 2012 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Mostly postmenopausal Caucasian women get Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia, which often includes eyebrow loss and has limited treatment success.

research Minoxidil Use in Dermatology, Side Effects, and Recent Patents

152 citations , May 2012 in “Recent Patents on Inflammation & Allergy Drug Discovery”

Minoxidil treats hair loss, promotes growth, has side effects, and has recent patents.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Clinical Review of 36 Patients

159 citations , November 2010 in “British journal of dermatology/British journal of dermatology, Supplement”

Hydroxychloroquine effectively reduces symptoms of frontal fibrosing alopecia, especially in the first 6 months.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: To Treat or Not to Treat?

29 citations , July 2010 in “Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery”

Treatments for Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia have not been proven effective.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: Role of Dermoscopy in Differential Diagnosis

33 citations , January 2010 in “Case reports in dermatology”

Dermoscopy helps diagnose frontal fibrosing alopecia by distinguishing it from other hair loss conditions.

research Videodermoscopy in the Evaluation of Hair and Scalp Disorders

304 citations , November 2006 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Videodermoscopy improves diagnosis of hair and scalp disorders and may reduce scalp biopsies.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Survey in 16 Patients

123 citations , August 2005 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology”

The study found that Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia affects a broader age range of women and early treatment can help stop hair loss.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia Developing After Hair Transplantation for Androgenetic Alopecia

64 citations , April 2005 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

Hair transplant destroyed by lichen planopilaris.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia in Postmenopausal Women

179 citations , January 2005 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Some postmenopausal women with frontal fibrosing alopecia stopped losing hair with finasteride treatment, hinting at a possible hormonal cause.

research Minoxidil: Mechanisms of Action on Hair Growth

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

Minoxidil boosts hair growth by opening potassium channels and increasing cell activity.

research Minoxidil Upregulates the Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Human Hair Dermal Papilla Cells

192 citations , March 1998 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

Minoxidil boosts growth factor in hair cells, potentially promoting hair growth.

research Different Levels of 5α-Reductase Type I and II, Aromatase, and Androgen Receptor in Hair Follicles of Women and Men with Androgenetic Alopecia

416 citations , September 1997 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

People with hair loss have more androgen receptors and enzymes in certain follicles, with men and women showing different patterns.

research Postmenopausal Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Frontal Variant of Lichen Planopilaris

329 citations , January 1997 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

Frontal fibrosing alopecia is a hair loss condition in postmenopausal women, similar to lichen planopilaris, with ineffective treatments.

research Improvement in Androgenetic Alopecia (Stage V) Using Topical Minoxidil in a Retinoid Vehicle and Oral Finasteride

23 citations , December 1995 in “Archives of Dermatology”

Combination therapy improves hair growth in advanced hair loss.

research Minimum Structural Requirements for Minoxidil Inhibition of Lysyl Hydroxylase in Cultured Fibroblasts

20 citations , January 1994 in “Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics”

Minoxidil needs specific structure to block lysyl hydroxylase; exploring alternatives may keep benefits without this effect.

16 / 16 results

research Eyebrow Regrowth in Patients with Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia Treated with Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil

8 citations , December 2020 in “Skin appendage disorders”

Low-dose oral minoxidil helped regrow eyebrows in women with Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia.

research Oral Isotretinoin Combined with Topical Clobetasol 0.05% and Tacrolimus 0.1% for the Treatment of Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

11 citations , April 2020 in “Journal of Dermatological Treatment”

Taking oral isotretinoin with creams worked better for treating a type of hair loss than creams alone.

research Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections vs. Topical Minoxidil in Androgenic Alopecia

January 2020

research Medical Therapy for Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Review and Clinical Approach

37 citations , August 2019 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Some treatments like intralesional steroids and 5α-reductase inhibitors are effective for frontal fibrosing alopecia, but more research is needed.

research What’s New in Hair Loss

5 citations , April 2019 in “Dermatologic Clinics”

New treatments for hair loss show promise, but require more research on long-term effects and proper dosing.

research Minoxidil in treatment of androgenic alopecia

January 1987 in “Chronica Dermatologica”

research Topical minoxidil for hair regrowth

80 citations , September 1984 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

5% minoxidil helps hair regrowth in androgenic alopecia.

research Alopecia Areata Treated With Topical Minoxidil

78 citations , April 1984 in “Archives of Dermatology”

Minoxidil can help regrow hair in alopecia areata patients.

research Topical Minoxidil in the Treatment of Alopecia Areata

80 citations , October 1983 in “BMJ”

Minoxidil helps hair regrowth in alopecia patients, with 16 having good results and no side effects.