Topical Cetirizine 1% for Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia

A preliminary study conducted by Rossi et al. (2017) investigated the therapeutic efficacy of topical cetirizine 1% lotion applied once a day on the scalp, in the management of androgenetic alopecia (AGA). The authors recruited 85 patients (male and female patients), of which 67 were used topical cetirizine, while 18 were control patients. The main effect of cetirizine was an increase in total hair density, terminal hair density, and diameter variation. Topical cetirizine may be a promising therapy for AGA with an excellent safety profile. Further studies are warranted to assess the insight action of the drug, the possible role of other H1-blockers and whether it is effective in other forms of alopecias.