Hypertrichosis has been frequently observed during the oral administration of the potent antihypertensive agent, minoxidil. However, hypertrichosis is uncommon after treatment with topical minoxidil for alopecia, and usually occurs in areas close to the site of the application. We describe a 52-year-old woman with diffuse facial hypertrichosis. She developed abnormal hypertrichosis while applying the optimal dose of 3% topical minoxidil for 2 months for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia.
Administration, Oral ; Alopecia ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertrichosis* ; Middle Aged ; Minoxidil*

BACKGROUND: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common type of hair loss found in both males and females. Oral finasteride and topical minoxidil are the only drugs approved, till now, by the Food and Drug Administration of USA for the treatment of this condition. Unfortunately, these treatment options are not satisfactory. Therefore, it has been necessary to develop new agents for this psychologically frustrating disease. OBJECTIVE: This is a 16-week, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial to determine whether a new topical agent, cytopurine/pentadecanoic glyceride topical solution, is effective in showing clinical improvements in patients with AGA. METHODS: A total of 74 men and 21 women (24~55 years old) with AGA were treated either with the new topical solution or a placebo, twice daily. Efficacy was evaluated by daily shed hair count, phototrichogram and patients' subjective and investigators' subjective assessments for clinical improvement. All adverse effects were reported during the study. RESULTS: After 16 weeks of therapy, combination cytopurine/pentadecanoic glyceride topical solution treatment resulted in a significant improvement from the baseline in total hair count and daily shed hair count. But there were no statistically significant differences in anagen hair count, mean hair diameter, patients' subjective and investigators' subjective assessments for clinical improvement and side effects between the cytopurine/pentadecanoic glyceride treated and placebo group. CONCLUSION: We have confirmed the efficacy of combination cytopurine/pentadecanoic glyceride topical solution in treating AGA, by an objective assessment with phototrichogram.
Alopecia* ; Female ; Finasteride ; Hair ; Humans ; Male ; Minoxidil ; United States Food and Drug Administration

BACKGROUND: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA), one of alopecias, requires continuous treatment in order to prevent or stop it, and patient's compliance is very important. Currently, only two drugs (finasteride, minoxidil) have been approved for AGA by Food and Drug Administration of United States (US FDA). However, another alpha-2 reductase inhibitor, dutasteride, is approved by Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) through a phase III trial. For treatment, pharmacotherapy of AGA usually combines topical minoxidil 7% with one of oral alpha-2 reductase inhibitor. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the comparative efficacy and adverse effect between topical minoxidil 7%/finasteride 1 mg and topical minoxidil 7%/dutasteride 0.5 mg pharmacotherapy for outpatients with AGA. Also we evaluated the relationship between therapeutic effect and regular hospital visit. METHOD: This study was performed retrospectively based on electronic medical record (EMR) data of total 98 patients (topical minoxidil 7% with dutasteride 0.5 mg (Avodart(R)) or finasteride 1 mg (Alopecia(R), Propecia(R)) with diagnosis of AGA from department of dermatology at a secondary hospital from January 1st, to May 31st, 2014. RESULTS: The efficacy and adverse event of topical minoxidil 7%/dutasteride 0.5 mg (DUTA group) were 100% and 45.7%, and of topical minoxidil 7%/finasteride 1 mg (FINA group) were 92.1% and 33.3%, respectively. The mean onset time of responses and adverse events in the FINA group were 3.86 months and 4.43 months. Those in the DUTA group were 3.97 months and 5.06 months. CONCLUSION: Both FINA and DUTA group were highly effective, but the DUTA group showed higher efficacy and adverse effects than those in the FINA group. Dutasteride may be another alternative in AGA treatment.
Alopecia* ; Compliance ; Dermatology ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Electronic Health Records ; Finasteride ; Humans ; Korea* ; Minoxidil ; Outpatients ; Oxidoreductases ; Retrospective Studies* ; United States ; United States Food and Drug Administration ; Dutasteride

Administration, Topical ; Alopecia/drug therapy* ; China ; Double-Blind Method ; Fibroblast Growth Factors/therapeutic use* ; Hair ; Humans ; Male ; Minoxidil/therapeutic use* ; Treatment Outcome

Minoxidil induces hair growth in male pattern baldness and prolongs the anagen phase. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has been reported to act synergistically with minoxidil in vivo: they can enhance more dense hair regrowth than either compound alone. We evaluated the effect of minoxidil combined with ATRA on hair growth in vitro. The effect of co-treatment of minoxidil and ATRA on hair growth was studied in hair follicle organ culture. In cultured human dermal papilla cells (DPCs) and normal human epidermal keratinocytes, the expressions of Erk, Akt, Bcl-2, Bax, P53 and P21 were evaluated by immunoblot analysis. Minoxidil plus ATRA additively promoted hair growth in vitro, compared with minoxidil alone. In addition, minoxidil plus ATRA elevated phosphorylated Erk, phosphorylated Akt and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax, but decreased the expressions of P53 and P21 more effectively than by minoxidil alone. Our results suggest that minoxidil plus ATRA would additively enhance hair growth by mediating dual functions: 1) the prolongation of cell survival by activating the Erk and Akt signaling pathways, and 2) the prevention of apoptosis of DPCs and epithelial cells by increasing the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax and downregulating the expressions of P53 and P21.
Tretinoin/*administration & dosage ; Minoxidil/*administration & dosage ; Keratolytic Agents/administration & dosage ; Humans ; Hair/cytology/*drug effects/*growth & development ; Drug Combinations ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Cells, Cultured ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects