Management of androgenic alopecia: a systematic review of the literature

Abstract

We aimed to determine the efficacy of the various available oral, topical, and procedural treatment options for hair loss in individuals with androgenic alopecia. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, a systematic review of the National Library of Medicine was performed. Overall, 141 unique studies met our inclusion criteria. We demonstrate that many over the counter (e.g. topical minoxidil, supplements, low-level light treatment), prescription (e.g. oral minoxidil, finasteride, dutasteride), and procedural (e.g. platelet-rich plasma, fractionated lasers, hair transplantation) treatments successfully promote hair growth, highlighting the superiority of a multifaceted and individualized approach to management.

Keywords: 5-alpha reductase; FUT; Hair; JetPeel; LED light; LLLT; PRP; adenosine; amino acids; androgenic alopecia; androgens; antioxidants; botanicals; botox; botulinum toxin; caffeine; cetirizine; dihydrotestosterone; drug delivery devices; dutasteride; estrogens; finasteride; follicular unit excision; follicular unit extraction; follicular unit transplantation; fractionated lasers; fulvestrant; graft holding solution; growth factors; hair cycle; hair follicle; hair growth; hair loss; hair restoration surgeries; hair transplant; hyperoxygenation; ischemia; ketoconazole; latanoprost; low level light therapy; microneedling; minoxidil; monofilament threads; nutraceuticals; oral supplements; oxygen; patterned hair loss; photodynamic therapy; plant oils; platelet rich plasma; poly-l-lactic acid; progesterones; prostaglandins; rosemary; spironolactone; stem cells; thread embedding therapy; topical supplements; transplantation; tretinoin; valproic acid.