The Use of Minoxidil to Prevent Alopecia During Chemotherapy for Gynecologic Malignancies

In a 1991 pilot study, the application of 2% topical Minoxidil was tested on 10 women undergoing chemotherapy for gynecologic cancers to prevent alopecia. Each participant served as her own control, with only part of the scalp treated. Out of the 10 participants, 4 were unevaluable due to non-compliance, and among the 6 evaluable patients, 5 experienced complete or severe hair loss within 4 weeks of starting chemotherapy. One patient did not experience hair loss in either the treated or untreated areas. The study concluded that while Minoxidil was non-toxic and had no adverse side effects, it did not prevent chemotherapy-induced alopecia.