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Minoxidil
for women
Women with diffuse androgenetic alopecia can use minoxidil and
it actually seems to be more effective for women compared to men.
UpJohn recommend women only use the 2% concentration of minoxidil
and not 5%. UpJohn have not received FDA approval for promoting
5% minoxidil (Rogaine extra strength) for use by women. Some dermatologists
do prescribe minoxidil 5% for women with androgenetic alopecia if
used under their supervision. Some small clinical trials have been
conducted on 5% minoxidil for androgenetic alopecia in women.
A safety analysis of long term therapy for women was conducted
using 34 patients on 3% minoxidil for 156 weeks after which 23 volunteers
switched to using 5% minoxidil for 300 weeks. The 34 women were
aged between 14 and 63 with type I, II, or III stage alopecia on
the Ludwig scale. Side effects observed for some patients in this
study included erythema, stinging, burning, dryness, scaling, folliculitis,
and/or itching of the skin. Some women using minoxidil reported
hypertrichosis (excess hair growth) in places where the minoxidil
had not been applied such as the face and arms. The hypertrichosis
was temporary and was reduced or disappeared if the patients were
given a reduced dose of minoxidil and/or stopped treatment.
Topical minoxidil causing hair growth in areas other than to which
it has been applied is a well known phenomenon. It seems to occur
more frequently in women than men. This is one of the reasons that
5% minoxidil is only being promoted for use by men and not women.
Some women on this higher dose found hair growth occurred on the
forehead, upper lip, cheeks, lower arms and/or lower legs. Occasionally
low 2% dose minoxidil also promotes this hair growth other than
on the scalp. Some women found the unwanted hair growth was temporary
and eventually went away while still using the minoxidil. Otherwise
reducing the dose rate or stopping use of minoxidil was suggested
as the only option to stop the additional hair growth. The reason
for hair growth where minoxidil has not been applied is not known
but suggests that there is some degree of systemic action even though
the drug was applied topically. If hair growth persists after stopping
drug use then that suggests problems with androgen production which
need to be looked at by an endocrinologist.
Minoxidil
for women references
- DeVillez
RL, Jacobs JP, Szpunar CA, Warner ML. Androgenetic alopecia in
the female. Treatment with 2% topical minoxidil solution. Arch
Dermatol. 1994 Mar;130(3):303-7.
- Whiting
DA, Jacobson C. Treatment of female androgenetic alopecia with
minoxidil 2%. Int J Dermatol. 1992 Nov;31(11):800-4.
- Olsen
EA. Topical minoxidil in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia
in women. Cutis. 1991 Sep;48(3):243-8.
- Hordinsky
MK, Shank J. Three percent topical minoxidil therapy for female
androgenetic alopecia. Clin Dermatol. 1988 Oct-Dec;6(4):213-7.
- Boeck C, Parker
J, Shank J, Hordinsky M. Safety of long term therapy with 3%
and 5% topical minoxidil in female androgenetic alopecia. In:
van Nest D, Randall VA (eds). Hair Research for the next millenium.
Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1996, 61-5.
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