Minoxidil

Topical minoxidil has shown some promise for the treatment of male-pattern alopecia and alopecia areata. Clinical trials suggest that careful patient selection and appropriate drug formulation are both important factors to maximize efficacy. Side effects attributable to topical minoxidil appear to consist almost entirely of cutaneous reactions in patients who have been studied thus far, i.e., patients without hypertension or cardiovascular disease. The mechanism of minoxidil-induced hair regrowth is not fully understood, but it may involve a synergistic effect of minoxidil on a variety of cell types.