Use of Botulinum Toxin for Androgenic Alopecia: A Systematic Review

Abstract

In this systematic review, we summarize the efficacy and safety of intradermal and intramuscular botulinum toxin injections for androgenic alopecia (AGA). Using PubMed, we conducted a literature search up to February 2021 using the following keyword combinations: "botulinum toxin" or "botox" and "androgenetic alopecia," "hair loss," or "alopecia." Five clinical studies met our inclusion criteria: 4 prospective cohorts and 1 randomized clinical trial (RCT). Study durations ranged from 24 to 60 weeks. No studies included control groups or compared botulinum toxin injections against approved treatments. A total of 165 participants were identified - all of whom were males with AGA. Of the 4 studies measuring response rates (i.e., subjects with >0% hair changes), response rates ranged from 75 to 79.1%. Within studies measuring hair count changes from intramuscular injections, changes ranged from 18 to 20.9%. No serious adverse events were reported. Studies on botulinum toxin injections have produced favorable outcomes for AGA subjects. However, results should be interpreted with caution due to the absence of control groups, small numbers of participants, and relatively low Jadad quality scores. Large RCTs are recommended to confirm efficacy and safety, explore the effects of botulinum toxin on females with pattern hair loss, and establish best practices for intradermal and intramuscular injection methodologies.

Keywords: Androgenic alopecia; Botulinum toxin; Hair loss.

Fig. 1

A PRISMA flowchart detailing the identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion decisions for our systematic review on botulinum toxin for the treatment of androgenic alopecia.