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    Glossary Placebo

    substance with no therapeutic effect used in clinical trials

    A placebo is a substance or treatment with no therapeutic effect, often used in clinical trials as a control to test the efficacy of new medications. It is designed to look like the actual drug being tested but does not contain any active ingredients. The placebo effect occurs when patients experience real changes in their health after taking a placebo, due to their belief in the treatment's effectiveness. This phenomenon is crucial for distinguishing between the actual effects of a drug and the psychological impact of believing one is being treated.

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    Research 10 of 1000+

    1. A randomized clinical trial of 5% topical minoxidil versus 2% topical minoxidil and placebo in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in men Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology · 2002 · 269 citations
    2. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 5% and 2% topical minoxidil solutions in the treatment of female pattern hair loss Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology · 2004 · 219 citations
    3. A placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover study of fluoxetine in trichotillomania American Journal of Psychiatry · 1991 · 180 citations
    4. Placebo-controlled oral pulse prednisolone therapy in alopecia areata Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · 2005 · 141 citations
    5. Changes in hair weight and hair count in men with androgenetic alopecia, after application of 5% and 2% topical minoxidil, placebo, or no treatment Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology · 1999 · 115 citations
    6. Double-blind, placebo-controlled evaluation of topical minoxidil in extensive alopecia areata Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology · 1987 · 104 citations
    7. A randomized, active- and placebo-controlled study of the efficacy and safety of different doses of dutasteride versus placebo and finasteride in the treatment of male subjects with androgenetic alopecia Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology · 2014 · 97 citations
    8. Comparison of Spironolactone, Flutamide, and Finasteride Efficacy in the Treatment of Hirsutism: A Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial1 The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism · 2000 · 94 citations
    9. Efficacy, safety, and tolerability of dutasteride 0.5 mg once daily in male patients with male pattern hair loss: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III study Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology · 2010 · 92 citations
    10. Effects of finasteride in patients with inflammatory chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot study Urology · 1999 · 65 citations
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    Community 10 of 62

    1. Why hasn’t anybody or any company done experiments on whether minoxidil and finasteride have effects on human collagen and elastin after a year of use compared to placebo? (In vivo not vitro) Reddit · 4 Feb 2026
    2. RCT: Rosemary-lavender oil formulation shown to stimulate hair growth when compared to placebo (2025) Reddit · 31 Dec 2025
    3. Korean Laser Helmet has a 44% increase in hair growth vs 0% growth in placebo in a double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial. Reddit · 5 Oct 2025
    4. Reason why placebo group got regrow on trial phase 3 Reddit · 27 Aug 2024
    5. The Placebo Group Has It Worse Than The Standard Prescription 0.5mg Group. -The fear is all in your head. Reddit · 29 Sept 2025
    6. Am I getting results or is this just a placebo? Reddit · 1 Sept 2025
    7. Any bludfluw or placebo supplements to slow down graying? Reddit · 14 May 2024
    8. Caffeine really a DHT blocker or placebo? Reddit · 6 Aug 2024
    9. Does creatine raise DHT/ contribute to hairloss or is it purely placebo Reddit · 13 Jul 2026
    10. Minoxidil temple and hairline results, true progress or placebo? as well as a few other questions Reddit · 7 Aug 2026
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