Comparison of oral and topical solution of Minoxidil in pattern hair loss

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Created On: 12/03/2025

To compare the effectiveness and potential risks of oral versus topical Minoxidil in treating androgenetic alopecia (AGA).

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Key take away

Choosing the right hair loss therapy requires careful consideration of the patient’s comfort, expectations, and side effect tolerance.

Background

To compare the effectiveness and potential risks of oral versus topical Minoxidil in treating androgenetic alopecia (AGA).

Method

A systematic review of randomized trials comparing oral Minoxidil with topical Minoxidil for AGA was conducted. Searches were performed on different databases - PubMed, Cochrane and Embase. R Studio 4.3.2 was used to carry out data analysis. Pooled standard mean differences (SMD) and risk ratios (RR) were accompanied by 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Result

Four trials comprising 279 patients were included. The follow-up periods were between 24 and 39 weeks. No significant variances were found in hair density (SMD 0.02; 95% CI −0.25 to 0.29; P-value of 0.88; I2 = 0%) or hair diameter (SMD −0.25; 95% CI −0.75 to 0.26; P-value of 0.34; I2 = 36%).

The oral Minoxidil group had a suggestively higher occurrence of hypertrichosis (excessive hair growth) compared to the topical group (RR 2.01; 95% CI 1.18–3.41; P-value of 0.01; I2 = 0%). Yet, no notable difference was observed in hypotension incidence between the two groups.

Conclusion

Oral and topical administration of Minoxidil show comparable efficacy and safety for pattern hair loss in men and women, with similar outcomes in hair growth and adverse events such as hypotension.