title: [Drug treatment of alopecia].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alopecia is the term used to describe hairless areas of the scalp. They can follow a specific pattern, be diffuse or circumscript. Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) follows a pattern: in men thinning of temples and vertex up to total baldness; in women thinning of the midline or parietal area.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lack of iron or cytostatic drugs cause diffuse alopecia, while in autoimmune diseases such as alopecia areata or lichen planus bizarre shapes of hairless areas are observed.
  
  
  METHODS
  For therapy, the following medications are used: topical minoxidil solution for AGA of men and women; systemic finasteride 1 mg for men with AGA; topical diphencyprone immunotherapy for alopecia areata; systemic antimycotic agents for tinea capitis; antibiotics such as clindamycin and rifampicin for folliculitis decalvans; systemic corticosteroids and isotretinoin for folliculitis et perifolliculitis capitis abscedens et suffodiens; topical corticosteroids for lichen planus and Kossard's frontal fibrosing alopecia.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Dermatologie und Allergologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Frauenlobstr. 9-11, 80337, München, Deutschland. hans.wolff@med.uni-muenchen.de.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wolff
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000505:Alopecia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003521:Cyclopropanes / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D018120:Finasteride / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008914:Minoxidil / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D018120:Finasteride; D008914:Minoxidil; C029402:diphenylcyclopropenone
keywords: Alopecia areata; Finasteride; Folliculitis; Lichen planus; Minoxidil