Using Low Dose Naltrexone for Lichen Planopilaris (LPP)

LDN for Lichen Planopilaris: Practical Points in Home Compounding

Interest in low dose naltrexone arose in 2017 when a US group report some benefits in a small number o patients. It’s clear that LDN helps some patients but it does not appear to help all patients. What remains to be seen is whether it actually stops hair loss effectively or whether it is merely better at suppressing symptoms.

The typcial dose of LDN is 3 mg nightly at 9 pm. The medication can be made up in tablets by a compounding pharmacy or patients can make up a solution of 1 mg per mL themselves in water provided they are comfrotable doing this. We’ve had many patients dissolving 50 mg tablets in glass bottles containing 50 mL of water and using 3 mL every day.

This video is a nice video on how this can easily be done at home. All patients should review this directly with their physicians or pharmacist to ensure that they understand how this is properly done.

MAKING UP LOW DOSE NALTREXONE AT HOME

Reference

https://donovanmedical.com/hair-blog/ldn

Strazzulla LC et al. Novel Treatment Using Low-Dose Naltrexone for Lichen Planopilaris. J Drugs Dermatol. 2017 Nov 1;16(11):1140-1142.