39 citations
,
January 2019 in “Journal of Dermatological Treatment” This review found topical ketoconazole to be highly effective against Malassezia-related skin conditions, though other treatments may outperform it for Tinea and Candida infections.
This study reports that a novel ketoconazole-loaded microneedle array significantly enhances drug delivery and retention in the skin, demonstrating improved hair growth in animal models, suggesting a promising treatment for androgenic alopecia that addresses current topical therapies' limitations.
113 citations
,
April 1999 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” This study found that all four treatments—flutamide, finasteride, ketoconazole, and EE-CPA—significantly reduced hirsutism, but EE-CPA and flutamide appeared most effective, with varying effects on androgen levels and side-effect profiles.
92 citations
,
January 1998 in “Dermatology” This study found that 2% ketoconazole shampoo improved hair density and anagen follicle proportion in androgenic alopecia similarly to minoxidil treatment, suggesting a potential role for Malassezia in inflammation.
46 citations
,
August 1990 in “The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism/Journal of clinical endocrinology & metabolism” In this study, ketoconazole treatment improved acne in all women and reduced hirsutism in some, but it caused several side effects and requires careful monitoring.
43 citations
,
October 2002 in “International Journal of Cosmetic Science” This study found that 1% ketoconazole and 1% piroctone olamine shampoos increased hair shaft thickness and reduced hair shedding in men with telogen effluvium and androgenic alopecia associated with dandruff.
41 citations
,
November 1987 in “British Journal of Dermatology” This article reports on the use of ketoconazole for treating cutaneous leishmaniasis, but includes no new clinical trial findings.
36 citations
,
May 2004 in “The journal of small animal practice/Journal of small animal practice” In this study, a combined therapy of Cyclosporine A and ketoconazole resolved anal furunculosis in dogs within 10 weeks, but recurrences were noted in about 37% of cases.
24 citations
,
April 2005 in “The Journal of Dermatology” This study found that 2% ketoconazole solution stimulated hair growth significantly in a mouse model, suggesting potential benefits for male pattern hair loss.
23 citations
,
April 1999 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” This study found that flutamide, finasteride, ketoconazole, and EE-CPA all significantly reduced hirsutism scores, hair diameter, and hair growth rate in women with hirsutism over 12 months.
20 citations
,
January 1990 in “Journal of dermatological treatment” This study found that both ketoconazole 2% shampoo and selenium sulphide are effective for dandruff treatment, but ketoconazole also reduces hair growth.
16 citations
,
September 1990 in “Fertility and sterility” This study reported that ketoconazole may effectively normalize menstruation and reduce testosterone and hair growth in women with ovarian hyperandrogenism, though its safety needs further evaluation.
14 citations
,
February 2011 in “Drug Metabolism and Disposition” This study examined the pharmacokinetics of finasteride in pigs and found that ketoconazole coadministration affected its distribution across various plasma compartments, bile, and urine.
12 citations
,
March 2014 in “ISRN Pharmacology (Print)” This study demonstrated that Ketoconazole, Minoxidil, and Minoxidil with Tretinoin all significantly stimulated hair growth in mice, with Minoxidil alone showing the most effectiveness.
11 citations
,
December 2019 in “Dermatologic Therapy” This systematic review suggests that topical ketoconazole may improve hair regrowth and thickness in both animal and human studies for androgenetic alopecia, but further randomized controlled trials are needed.
9 citations
,
August 2024 in “Cureus” This study reviewed existing knowledge and research, observing that ketoconazole shampoo is a safe and effective treatment for scalp seborrheic dermatitis, significantly improving irritation and scaling while maintaining low relapse rates and minimal side effects.
8 citations
,
November 2022 in “Cureus” In this study, patients with mild to moderate scalp seborrheic dermatitis experienced greater improvements in severity scores and quality of life with Lulican™ shampoo compared to Ketoconazole over four weeks, with similar safety profiles but better tolerability and cosmetic acceptability for LulicanTM.
8 citations
,
July 1983 in “Veterinary Quarterly” This study found that treating dermatomycosis in cats and dogs with ketoconazole for 20 days resulted in new hair growth and a high rate of clinical cure, with minimal side effects.
7 citations
,
December 2019 in “Pharmaceutics” This study found that co-administration of ketoconazole significantly altered the pharmacokinetics of dutasteride in rats, suggesting an interaction potential between dutasteride and azole antifungal drugs.
2 citations
,
November 2024 in “Acta Dermato Venereologica” In this case report, researchers describe an adult patient with CHILD syndrome whose skin lesions were successfully managed with topical ketoconazole, marking the first known instance of using this treatment without recurrence during follow-up.
2 citations
,
May 2021 in “Research Square (Research Square)” This study found that ketoconazole-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles significantly improved skin permeation and retention compared to a drug suspension and marketed product, demonstrating enhanced delivery into deeper skin layers.
2 citations
,
December 2019 in “Biomedical dermatology” In this study, researchers found that topical ketoconazole showed delayed hair growth compared to minoxidil in female pattern hair loss but had fewer side effects, though patient satisfaction was similar for both treatments.
1 citations
,
October 2024 in “Dermatology Practical & Conceptual” In this double-blind randomized controlled trial, both rosemary extract lotion and 2% ketoconazole lotion were effective for treating scalp seborrheic dermatitis, but rosemary lotion reduced itching more significantly, while ketoconazole was more effective in reducing dandruff.
1 citations
,
November 2023 in “Journal of cosmetic dermatology” This study developed a novel antidandruff shampoo with ketoconazole-coated zinc oxide nanoparticles that showed enhanced antifungal activity against Malassezia furfur compared to standard ketoconazole treatments, suggesting it could be a more effective alternative for dandruff management.
1 citations
,
November 2019 in “International Journal of Women's Dermatology” Ketoconazole shampoo can cause rare pink hair discoloration.
1 citations
,
February 2014 in “Analytical Letters” This study developed a fast and sensitive ultra-high performance liquid chromatography method to quantify ketoconazole in antidandruff emulsions, showing comparable results to labeled concentrations.
June 2026 in “International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Research and Studies” This study highlights the potential of a ketoconazole antifungal hair spray as an innovative and effective topical method for treating tinea capitis, offering benefits such as easy application, improved drug penetration, and reduced systemic exposure compared to conventional treatments.
April 2026 in “BioNanoScience” A new microneedle system may improve hair loss treatment by delivering ketoconazole directly to hair follicles.
April 2026 in “International Journal of Drug Delivery Technology” The study developed herbal shampoo formulations using isolated phytoconstituents, such as eugenol, rutin, menthol, and camphor, which demonstrated similar antifungal efficacy to ketoconazole but with improved safety and detergency, offering a promising alternative for managing seborrheic dermatitis.
October 2025 in “Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)” Ritlecitinib may help young adults with severe alopecia areata when ketoconazole fails.