Comprehensive review of oral minoxidil in alopecia.

BACKGROUND: There have been various treatment modalities available for alopecia in the form of topical and systemic with a variable response. The compliance of the patients is important in reaping results in alopecia. Minoxidil has come a long-way finding its use from topical formulations to systemic at lower dose in different alopecia. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article is to discuss various conditions in alopecia where oral minoxidil has found its role. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed relating to oral minoxidil role in various alopecia. Various clinical trials, case series, and case reports were searched on PubMed and Google Scholar. The references of available studies were also reviewed to collect the additional resources. Available data from various studies and case reports were collected and consolidated to provide a concise overview of oral minoxidil indications in various alopecia. RESULTS: Oral minoxidil has been used in various non-scarring and scarring alopecia at a lower dosage with less side effects and with promising results. Androgenetic alopecia and female pattern hair loss were the two conditions where it has been used more commonly than other alopecia, providing a ray of hope along with overcoming the issues related to topical formulations and compliance.