5 mg/day finasteride treatment for normoandrogenic Asian women with female pattern hair loss.
BACKGROUND
Various treatments have been attempted for female pattern hair loss (FPHL), including topical minoxidil, oral antiandrogen and finasteride. But, there is no consensus on the standard treatment options. Clinical efficacy of finasteride in treating FPHL is still in controversy, but there is a tendency to high dose finasteride, which is more effective than lower dose.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of high dose (5 mg/day) oral finasteride in normoandrogenic Asian women with FPHL.


METHODS
Total of 87 normoandrogenic, pre and post-menopausal women with FPHL were enrolled in this study. They were treated with oral finasteride (Proscar(®)), 5 mg daily for 12 months. Efficacy was evaluated with hair density and thickness changes assessed by phototrichogram and global photographs using 7-point scale.


RESULTS
Eighty-six patients completed 12 months of finasteride treatment schedule. One patient (1.1%) withdrew due to headache. At initial visits, mean hair density was 90 ± 22/cm(2) and mean hair thickness was 64 ± 11 μm. After 12 months of finasteride treatment, hair density was significantly increased to 107 ± 23/cm(2) (P<0.001), and hair thickness was also significantly increased to 70 ± 9 μm (P=0.02). In global photographs, 70 (81.4%) of the 86 patients were improved (57 were slightly, 10 were moderately and four were greatly improved). Patients without any changes were 13 (15.1%) and 3 (3.5%) patients reported slightly aggravated. Four patients (4.6%) reported adverse events (headache, menstrual irregularity, dizziness and increased body hair growth). However, these adverse events were mild and disappeared soon.


CONCLUSIONS
Oral finasteride, 5 mg/day, may be an effective and safe treatment for normoandrogenic women with FPHL.
Yeon
J H
JH
Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Gyeonggi Department of Dermatology, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
Jung
J Y
JY
Choi
J W
JW
Kim
B J
BJ
Youn
S W
SW
Park
K C
KC
Huh
C H
CH
D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000505:Alopecia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D044466:Asian People / Q000208:ethnology*; D004244:Dizziness / Q000453:epidemiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D018120:Finasteride / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006261:Headache / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D018120:Finasteride