85 citations,
April 2012 in “PLOS ONE” Valproic Acid helps regrow hair in mice and activates a hair growth marker in human cells.
73 citations,
October 2001 in “Epilepsia” Children taking higher doses of valproic acid had lower biotinidase activity, which may lead to biotin deficiency, but biotin supplements could help.
68 citations,
March 2018 in “Biomaterials” Tiny needles with valproic acid can effectively regrow hair.
48 citations,
June 2013 in “Journal of Dermatological Science” Valproic acid may help hair grow and could be a safe treatment for hair loss.
47 citations,
March 2019 in “Journal of immunology research” Valproic Acid could potentially be used to treat immune-related conditions due to its ability to modify immune cell functions.
37 citations,
February 2014 in “Journal of Dermatology” Valproic acid increases hair count in men with hair loss.
36 citations,
October 2008 in “European journal of paediatric neurology” Valproic acid treatment may cause temporary hair loss due to reduced zinc and biotinidase levels, which tend to normalize after 6 months.
26 citations,
November 2016 in “European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology” Valproic acid helps delay hair loss and increases survival time for high-grade glioma patients undergoing radiation therapy.
22 citations,
September 2008 in “Brain & development” Biotin supplements increased biotin levels but did not significantly prevent hair loss in rats on valproic acid.
21 citations,
June 2011 in “Journal of child neurology” Valproic acid and carbamazepine do not change biotin or biotinidase levels but may lower zinc levels, still within normal range.
16 citations,
May 2009 in “Journal of child neurology” Valproic acid does not change biotinidase enzyme activity in children's blood.
15 citations,
May 2006 in “Brain & development” Valproic acid may cause hair loss by reducing biotinidase enzyme activity in rats.
13 citations,
April 2019 in “Seizure” Valproic acid increases the risk of hair loss more than other drugs, especially in migraine patients, and lamotrigine may be a safer alternative.
13 citations,
January 2007 in “Epilepsia” Valproic acid can cause reversible hair curling and persistent hair thinning.
9 citations,
May 2001 in “Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association” A cat's hyperactivity and hair loss were caused by eating valproic acid but improved after stopping access to the drug.
6 citations,
April 2013 in “International Journal of Dermatology” Valproic acid helped hair growth in alopecia patient; more research needed.
2 citations,
April 2017 in “Asian Journal of Psychiatry” Valproic acid can cause hair loss when taken orally but may promote hair growth when applied topically.
2 citations,
September 2015 in “Türk pediatri arşivi : İstanbul çocuk kliniği dergisi” Valproic acid can very rarely cause nail separation, which usually gets better on its own after stopping the drug.
1 citations,
July 2023 in “International Journal of Biological Macromolecules” The study created a new hair loss treatment paste that regrows hair faster and with fewer side effects than minoxidil alone.
1 citations,
July 2020 in “Acta Neuropsychologica” Valproic acid effectively reduces aggressive and impulsive behaviors in brain injury patients with acceptable side effects.
October 2024 in “Frontiers in Pharmacology” Genetic variants can affect valproic acid's effectiveness, side effects, and levels in epilepsy treatment.
Valproic acid and rapamycin protect hair follicle stem cells from damage by activating a protective pathway.
April 2023 in “Neurology” Valproic acid is a more effective treatment for vomiting in Alexander disease than other medications, with few side effects.
November 2022 in “Indian Journal of Dermatology/Indian journal of dermatology” Valproic acid can cause dark lines on nails.
June 2021 in “Clinical neuropsychopharmacology and therapeutics” Valproic acid can cause hair color change in older men.
January 2016 in “International journal of clinical pediatrics” Valproic acid may cause temporary hair changes like loss or thinning in children.
September 2009 in “European journal of paediatric neurology” Biotin supplements did not significantly reduce hair loss in rats on valproic acid.
February 2023 in “Indian journal of private psychiatry/Indian Journal of Private Psychiatry” Valproic acid can rarely cause reversible nail discoloration.
December 2021 in “Black sea journal of health science” Valproic acid can cause a rare allergic reaction leading to fluid around the lungs and heart, which is treatable by changing medication.
July 2014 in “Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature” Applying valproic acid on the scalp increased hair growth in men with hair loss.