Minoxidil and Its Use in Hair Disorders: a Review

Overview

Journal Drug Des Devel Ther

Specialty Pharmacology

Date 2019 Sep 10

PMID 31496654

Citations 104

Authors

Poonkiat Suchonwanit

Sasima Thammarucha

Kanchana Leerunyakul

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Minoxidil was first introduced as an antihypertensive medication and the discovery of its common adverse event, hypertrichosis, led to the development of a topical formulation for promoting hair growth. To date, topical minoxidil is the mainstay treatment for androgenetic alopecia and is used as an off-label treatment for other hair loss conditions. Despite its widespread application, the exact mechanism of action of minoxidil is still not fully understood. In this article, we aim to review and update current information on the pharmacology, mechanism of action, clinical efficacy, and adverse events of topical minoxidil.

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