ABSTRACT
Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a complex disorder of hair loss characterized by progressive follicular miniaturization in a patterned distribution that occurs due to systemic androgen and genetic factors. AGA manifests clinically as male pattern hair loss (MPHL) in men and female pattern hair loss (FPHL) in women. Men develop bitemporal recession, diffuse thinning over the frontal scalp and vertex balding, while women experience increased hair shedding and diffuse thinning over the upper biparietal and/or midfrontal scalp. Topical minoxidil has been widely used as a treatment for AGA for more than 30 years, but lack of efficacy, poor compliance, irritant/allergic contact dermatitis, and cost are common barriers for this therapy. Reported adverse effects were dose-related and include hypertrichosis, pretibial edema, and postural hypotension. Multiple strategies have been explored to improve treatment response without increasing minoxidil dose.
