Quality of Life and Patient-Reported Side Effects of Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil in Treating Female Pattern Hair Loss

January 2026 in “ Figshare ”

Divija Sharma, Lillian Mo, Deep Patel, Austin J. Piontkowski, Candice Medina, Kelly Hawkins, Neda Shokrian, Benjamin Ungar

low-dose oral minoxidil female pattern hair loss unwanted hair growth WAA-QOL LDOM FPHL

TLDR Low-dose oral minoxidil improves hair loss and quality of life for women, despite mild unwanted hair growth.

A study involving 102 women with female pattern hair loss (FPHL) assessed the effectiveness and side effects of low-dose oral minoxidil (LDOM) over a median duration of 12 months. Results showed significant improvement in hair loss severity and quality of life, with WAA-QOL scores improving from 67 to 39. Although 71.6% of participants experienced unwanted hair growth, primarily on the face, arms, and legs, 93.2% did not consider it a reason to stop treatment, as most cases were mild or moderate. The study concludes that LDOM offers a favorable patient-centered profile, improving both clinical outcomes and quality of life for women with FPHL.

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