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Glossary Placebo-Controlled

comparison involves an inactive substance to test treatment efficacy

A placebo-controlled study is a type of clinical trial where one group of participants receives the experimental treatment, while another group receives a placebo—a substance with no therapeutic effect, often a sugar pill. This design helps researchers determine the actual effectiveness of the treatment by comparing outcomes between the treated group and the placebo group, thereby accounting for the placebo effect, where participants may experience perceived or actual improvements in their condition simply because they believe they are receiving treatment.

Related Terms

Research

5 / 1000+ results

research A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 5% and 2% topical minoxidil solutions in the treatment of female pattern hair loss

219 citations , March 2004 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

In this 48-week trial, 5% topical minoxidil was more effective than both 2% minoxidil and placebo in promoting hair growth in women with female pattern hair loss, with notable improvements in nonvellus hair count and hair growth assessments.

research A placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover study of fluoxetine in trichotillomania

180 citations , November 1991 in “American Journal of Psychiatry”

This study found that fluoxetine did not demonstrate short-term efficacy in treating trichotillomania in a placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover setting.

research Placebo-controlled oral pulse prednisolone therapy in alopecia areata

141 citations , February 2005 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

In this study, oral prednisolone pulse therapy led to significant hair regrowth in some patients with extensive alopecia areata, whereas no improvement was seen in the placebo group.

research 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

92 citations , June 2010 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

This study found that 0.5 mg of dutasteride significantly improved hair growth compared to placebo and was well tolerated over six months in men with male pattern hair loss.

research A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of inositol in trichotillomania

18 citations , November 2016 in “International clinical psychopharmacology”

This study found that in a 10-week trial, inositol did not significantly reduce trichotillomania symptoms compared to placebo, although 42.1% of inositol-treated patients felt 'much or very much improved' at the study's end.

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Community Join

5 / 876 results

community Korean Laser Helmet has a 44% increase in hair growth vs 0% growth in placebo in a double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial.

3037 upvotes 11 months ago

A Korean laser helmet increases hair growth by 44% compared to a placebo. Users discuss its cost-effectiveness, clinical support, and compare it to treatments like finasteride and minoxidil, focusing on wavelength and energy density.

community Pumkin Seed Oil 400mg/day oral, 6 month Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial (N=76)

4 upvotes 4 years ago

Pumpkin seed oil may increase hair count but not thickness, though its effectiveness is debated. Some suggest using topical finasteride or saw palmetto instead.

community Reason why placebo group got regrow on trial phase 3

in Chat 16 upvotes 2 years ago

Placebo hair regrowth might be influenced by propylene glycol in lotions or participants lying about using other treatments like minoxidil, finasteride, or microneedling. Being part of a study can also improve hair health due to lifestyle changes.

community Creatine Does Not Increase DHT And Does Not Cause Hair Loss - Randomized Controlled Trial

308 upvotes 1 year ago

Creatine does not increase DHT levels or cause hair loss. Personal experiences vary, but scientific evidence shows no link between creatine and hair loss.

community Has anyone seen the data on this 539% boost breakthrough?

866 upvotes 6 months ago

Topical Clascoterone showed a 539% improvement in hair count compared to placebo, but its effectiveness and safety are debated. Users compared it to minoxidil and finasteride, with mixed opinions on its potential release in 2026 or 2027.

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Learn

7 / 800 results

learn Alfatradiol

Weak form of estrogen applied to the scalp

Does Alfatradiol work the same for women, men, and trans people? Almost all controlled data on topical alfatradiol comes from cisgender women, where hair density and thickness stayed nearly unchanged over 6 months while minoxidil improved them (the trial had no placebo group). No published controlled trial covers cisgender men, and none covers trans people at all — so the honest answer is that the difference has not been measured.

learn Fluridil

Can daily Fluridil application stop hair follicle miniaturization? The single published fluridil trial (43 men; placebo-controlled for 3 months, then all on fluridil to 9 months) reported more hairs in the growth phase, but it never measured follicle diameter and has not been replicated — so whether daily use stops miniaturization is unproven, and community users describe stabilization rather than regrowth.

learn Melatonin

Hormone that regulates sleep, sold as a supplement

Melatonin: Does it work the same for men and women? No trial has compared melatonin's effect on hair in men versus women. The only placebo-controlled scalp study enrolled 40 women, and the single reported sex difference — shedding fell in women but not men — comes from one uncontrolled 60-person observation, so any difference is unestablished.
Is melatonin better as a supplement or applied to the scalp? No study has compared oral and topical melatonin head to head. Topical melatonin has one small placebo-controlled pilot trial in 40 women plus a set of mostly uncontrolled studies of a cosmetic solution; oral melatonin has no published hair-loss trial at all.

learn Finasteride

What does finasteride do to the female body? Find out its side effects. Finasteride is not approved for hair loss in women anywhere; the one controlled trial, in 137 postmenopausal women at 1 mg daily, found no benefit over placebo, while smaller uncontrolled studies at higher off-label doses report some improvement. It is contraindicated in pregnancy and crushed or broken tablets must not be handled. Side effects in women are poorly described; in men the range of reported side effects is wider than sexual alone (mood and suicidal thoughts, cognitive complaints, breast and semen effects), some reported to persist after stopping.

learn HMI-115

Experimental antibody that blocks the prolactin receptor

learn Latanoprost

Prostaglandin eye drop used for glaucoma

learn Follistatin

Protein that blocks activin, a growth-regulating signal

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