Topical Minoxidil Therapy for Androgenic Alopecia in the Middle East

In 1993, a 48-week open label trial was conducted in five Middle-Eastern countries with 195 men aged 19 to 47 years to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of 2% topical minoxidil for treating early androgenic alopecia. The trial concluded with no significant changes in vital signs or laboratory parameters, indicating safety. Out of 161 evaluable patients at the end of the study, 80% experienced moderate to dense hair regrowth, with an average increase of 234 nonvellus hairs. The study determined that the age of the patient and the type of baldness were more influential on the outcome than the duration of baldness. The efficacy of 2% minoxidil in this Middle Eastern cohort was higher than that observed in previous studies from the USA and Europe, where only 39% of patients showed moderate to dense hair growth. The findings suggested that patient age and baldness type should be key criteria for selecting candidates for minoxidil treatment in the Middle East.