VIDEO: Off-label oral minoxidil use trending for patients with alopecia areata

NEW ORLEANS — In this Healio video exclusive, Ronda S. Farah, MD, discusses the use of off-label oral minoxidil for hair growth in patients with alopecia.

When presented at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting, researchers discussed how off-label oral minoxidil shows promising results in patients with androgenetic alopecia.

“Everybody wants it. It works, and it works fast,” Farah, associate professor at the University of Minnesota, said.

Off-label oral minoxidil is a trending treatment option, Farah said, despite not being approved by the FDA. Practitioners should discuss risks with their patients, Farah continued. There have been reports of patients taking oral minoxidil being impacted by previous and underlying cardiac illnesses, as well as changes in blood pressure within 2 to 4 hours after taking the medication. There are also currently no studies clearly supporting a dosage difference between male and female patients.

“More data is needed,” Farah said. “I think more data is also needed on the combination of oral and topical minoxidil.”

Reference:

• Farah RS, et al. Pearls on the integration of minoxidil. Presented at: American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting; March 17-21, 2023; New Orleans.