Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common form of hair loss in men and women. Our study aimed to determine the effectiveness of intradermal glucocorticosteroid microinjections in female patients with AGA. This method was intended to alleviate microinflammation. METHODS: This prospective, 4-month, randomized comparative study included 54 women with AGA. The experimental group was treated with topical application of a 5% minoxidil preparation plus three monthly sessions of intradermal microinjections of triamcinolone 5 mg/mL. The control group was treated with topical 5% minoxidil preparation. RESULTS: Clinical improvement was observed in 78.7% and 57.1% of the patients in the experimental and control groups, respectively (p value <0.001). The mean hair density and diameter did not differ significantly between the experimental and control groups before treatment. After treatment, hair density significantly increased in the experimental group compared to the control group, although no significant difference was found in the average diameter between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that combining topical minoxidil with intradermal microinjections of triamcinolone is associated with a marked increase in treatment efficacy compared with minoxidil monotherapy. Further in-depth research is required to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this combination in a wider population.