Five recent developments in alopecia

Research finding that platelet-rich plasma with 5% minoxidil solution showed efficacy in combination treatment for androgenetic alopecia was among recent developments reported on Healio.com/Dermatology.

Other developments included finding that women were charged more per dose for minoxidil products for androgenetic alopecia compared with men, and the FDA lifting a clinical hold on a trial for alopecia areata:

Platelet-rich plasma shows efficacy in combination treatment for androgenetic alopecia

Platelet-rich plasma in combination with 5% minoxidil solution showed efficacy in hair regrowth for patients with androgenetic alopecia compared with the combination with oral finasteride, according to study results recently published in Dermatologic Surgery.

Researchers studied 25 patients with androgenetic alopecia (13 females; mean age, 39.9 years). Read more

Gender-based pricing shown for minoxidil for hair loss

Women were charged more per dose for minoxidil, 5%, foam for androgenetic alopecia when compared with products marketed for men, according to published study results in JAMA Dermatology.

Jules B. Lipoff, MD, of the dermatology department, University of Pennsylvania, and colleagues reviewed data on minoxidil products from July 22 to Nov. 28, 2016 at six national chain pharmacies — CVS, Kroger, Rite Aid, Target, Walgreens and Walmart — in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and Indiana. Read more

FDA lifts clinical hold on trial for alopecia areata

Concert Pharmaceuticals has announced that the FDA has lifted the clinical hold on the company’s CTP-543 phase 2a clinical trial for adults with alopecia areata.

The clinical stage biopharmaceutical company will amend the protocol for the study to evaluate two doses of CTP-543 each for a 24-week duration, according to a news release from Concert Pharmaceuticals. Read more

Low-level laser therapy shows efficacy in treating female alopecia

Low-level laser treatment of the scalp for 17 weeks using a dome laser device showed safety and efficacy as treatment for androgenetic alopecia in healthy women, according to study results published in Dermatologic Surgery.

Researchers studied 44 healthy female volunteers, aged 18 to 60 years, who had Fitzpatrick skin types I to IV and Ludwig-Savin Baldness Scale I to II hair loss patterns. Patients were randomized to receive active laser treatment using a low-level diode laser dome (Handi-Dome Laser, Capillus) or a placebo (sham) device. Read more

Treatments for androgenetic alopecia varies in effectiveness between men, women

Men and women benefited from minoxidil therapy for androgenetic alopecia, while finasteride and low-level light therapy also showed efficacy in treating men with the condition, according to meta-analysis results published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Twenty-three articles were included in the analysis, including one article that had two intervention arms: minoxidil 5% and minoxidil 2%. Read more