Randomized trial of electrodynamic microneedle combined with 5% minoxidil topical solution for the treatment of Chinese male Androgenetic alopecia

ABSTRACT

Background: In treating androgenetic alopecia, 5% minoxidil is a commonly used topical drug. By using electrodynamic microneedle at the same time may increase absorption of minoxidil and further stimulate hair growth.

Objective: A 24-week, randomized, evaluator blinded, comparative study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of treating Chinese male androgenetic alopecia using microneedle combined with 5% minoxidil topical solution. Methods: Randomized subjects received topical 5% minoxidil (group 1, n = 20), local electrodynamic microneedle treatments (group 2, n = 20), or local electrodynamic microneedle treatments plus topical 5% minoxidil (group 3, n = 20). A total of 12 microneedle treatments were performed every 2 weeks with 2ml 5% minoxidil delivery in group three during each microneedle treatment. Patient receiving topical 5% minoxidil applied 1 ml of the solution twice daily over the course of the study. A total of 60 Chinese male subjects with Norwood-Hamilton type III-VI androgenetic alopecia were treated.

Results: The mean improvement in total hair density from baseline to 24 weeks was 18.8/cm² in group 1, 23.4/cm² in group 2, and 38.3/cm² in group 3. The hair growth in the three groups was significantly different (P = 0.002), but there were no significant differences in toxicity found between the three groups.

Conclusions: Treatment with microneedle plus topical 5% minoxidil was associated with the best hair growth.

KEYWORDS:

• Androgenetic alopecia
• microneedle
• Chinese
• minoxidil

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to our colleagues in the Dermatology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University for their cooperation and support when performing this study.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.