5 % Minoxidil is Similarly Effective to 1 mg Oral Minoxidil

Another Study Supports Notion that 1 mg LDOM just as Effective as Topical 5 % Minoxidil

Prior studies have suggested that oral minoxidil is not always better than topical. For example, in 2020, Dr Ramos and colleagues showed that 1 mg oral minoxidil was similar in effectiveness to 5 % minoxidil in women.

Asilian et al. 2023

A new study from Iran shows similar findings to the Ramos study. Authors in this study randomized 65 patients (male and female) to either 1 mg oral minoxidil or 5% topical minoxidil (1 cc twice daily for men and 1cc once daily for women) for 6 months and looked at outcomes 6 months later. Hair improvements were similar in the two group and one group was not superior to the other. There were more patients in the oral minoxidil group who had low blood pressure and excessive hair growth but overall treatments were well tolerated in both groups.

All in all, this study lends support the concept that 5 % minoxidil and 1 mg oral minoxidil are likely to be similarly effective for treating androgenetic alopecia. The study is small and complicated by including both male and female patients and by including topical minoxidil and different doses (twice daily in men and once daily in women). Nevertheless, it lends support to the notion that topical minoxidil is not likely to be inferior to 1 mg oral minoxidil.

REFERENCE

Asilian A et al. Clinical efficacy and safety of low-dose oral minoxidil versus topical solution in the improvement of androgenetic alopecia: A randomized controlled trial. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2023 Nov 29.