294 citations
,
February 1994 in “PubMed” Valproic acid is an effective and safe first-choice treatment for many types of seizures.
73 citations
,
October 2001 in “Epilepsia” Children taking higher doses of valproic acid had lower biotinidase activity, which may lead to biotin deficiency, but biotin supplements could help.
73 citations
,
January 1980 in “Annals of Neurology” Valproic acid can cause serious side effects, including pancreatitis and even death.
68 citations
,
March 2018 in “Biomaterials” Tiny needles with valproic acid can effectively regrow hair.
48 citations
,
June 2013 in “Journal of Dermatological Science” Valproic acid may help hair grow and could be a safe treatment for hair loss.
47 citations
,
March 2019 in “Journal of immunology research” Valproic Acid could potentially be used to treat immune-related conditions due to its ability to modify immune cell functions.
37 citations
,
February 2014 in “Journal of Dermatology” Valproic acid increases hair count in men with hair loss.
36 citations
,
October 2008 in “European journal of paediatric neurology” Valproic acid treatment may cause temporary hair loss due to reduced zinc and biotinidase levels, which tend to normalize after 6 months.
26 citations
,
November 2016 in “European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology” Valproic acid helps delay hair loss and increases survival time for high-grade glioma patients undergoing radiation therapy.
24 citations
,
November 1978 in “JAMA” Valproic acid is effective for various seizures, but may cause temporary side effects like drowsiness and stomach issues.
22 citations
,
September 2008 in “Brain & development” Biotin supplements increased biotin levels but did not significantly prevent hair loss in rats on valproic acid.
21 citations
,
June 2011 in “Journal of child neurology” Valproic acid and carbamazepine do not change biotin or biotinidase levels but may lower zinc levels, still within normal range.
17 citations
,
October 1980 in “PubMed” Valproic acid is effective for controlling seizures in children, especially as a single treatment, with some side effects.
16 citations
,
May 2009 in “Journal of child neurology” Valproic acid does not change biotinidase enzyme activity in children's blood.
16 citations
,
March 1986 in “Biochemical Pharmacology” 15 citations
,
May 2006 in “Brain & development” Valproic acid may cause hair loss by reducing biotinidase enzyme activity in rats.
13 citations
,
April 2019 in “Seizure” Valproic acid increases the risk of hair loss more than other drugs, especially in migraine patients, and lamotrigine may be a safer alternative.
13 citations
,
January 2007 in “Epilepsia” Valproic acid can cause reversible hair curling and persistent hair thinning.
10 citations
,
January 2020 in “Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis” Valproic acid and crocin together boost cell growth and may help treat nerve injuries.
9 citations
,
May 2001 in “Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association” A cat's hyperactivity and hair loss were caused by eating valproic acid but improved after stopping access to the drug.
6 citations
,
April 2013 in “International Journal of Dermatology” Valproic acid helped hair growth in alopecia patient; more research needed.
6 citations
,
March 1986 in “PubMed” Valproic acid can cause weight gain and hair texture changes.
4 citations
,
October 2015 in “JAAD Case Reports” Surgical grafting may fix nail issues caused by valproic acid.
4 citations
,
October 1993 in “PubMed” Valproic acid can cause mild side effects like anorexia and hair loss in some epileptic patients.
2 citations
,
April 2017 in “Asian Journal of Psychiatry” Valproic acid can cause hair loss when taken orally but may promote hair growth when applied topically.
2 citations
,
November 1978 in “JAMA” Valproic acid is an effective seizure medication with some temporary side effects.
2 citations
,
September 2015 in “Türk pediatri arşivi : İstanbul çocuk kliniği dergisi” Valproic acid can very rarely cause nail separation, which usually gets better on its own after stopping the drug.
1 citations
,
July 2023 in “International Journal of Biological Macromolecules” The study created a new hair loss treatment paste that regrows hair faster and with fewer side effects than minoxidil alone.
1 citations
,
July 2020 in “Acta Neuropsychologica” Valproic acid effectively reduces aggressive and impulsive behaviors in brain injury patients with acceptable side effects.
January 2026 in “Open Science Framework” More research is needed to find effective treatments for hair loss caused by valproic acid.