RCT: Oral and topical minoxidil equally effective for male hair loss treatment – JAMA Dermatol

This study examines the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of oral minoxidil compared to topical minoxidil in treating male androgenetic alopecia. Conducted as a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial, 90 men aged 18 to 55 with varying degrees of hair loss were recruited and followed for 24 weeks. Participants were divided into two groups: one receiving oral minoxidil 5 mg daily and the other using topical minoxidil 5% twice daily. The primary endpoint was the change in terminal hair density in both the frontal and vertex regions. Results showed that oral minoxidil did not outperform topical minoxidil in terms of increasing hair density on the frontal scalp, though it did show a slight superiority on the vertex area. Common side effects for the oral minoxidil group included hypertrichosis and headaches. Overall, oral minoxidil demonstrated similar efficacy to its topical counterpart and offers an alternative for patients preferring oral treatment or those intolerant to topical formulations.

Reference (link to abstract – $ for full-text):

Mariana Alvares Penha et al. (2024). Oral Minoxidil vs Topical Minoxidil for Male Androgenetic Alopecia A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Dermatology, Published online April 10, 2024. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2024.0284