Quality of life and patient-reported side effects of low-dose oral minoxidil in treating female pattern hair loss

Female pattern hair loss (FPHL) significantly affects women's well-being and quality of life (QoL), and low-dose oral minoxidil (LDOM) has increasingly gained attention as a convenient and effective treatment option. Although hypertrichosis is reported more often with LDOM than with topical formulations, patient perceptions and tolerance of this side effect remain poorly understood. We conducted a telephone survey at a single institution among women with FPHL currently taking or previously treated with LDOM for at least one month to evaluate treatment effectiveness, QoL, and side effect burden using the Women's Androgenetic Alopecia Quality of Life Questionnaire (WAA-QOL). Among 102 participants, the median duration of LDOM use was 12 months. Hair loss severity improved from a median score of 7 to 4 on a 10-point scale. Unwanted hair growth occurred in 71.6% of patients, most commonly on the face, arms, and legs; however, 93.2% did not consider it a reason to discontinue treatment, and most cases were mild or moderate. WAA-QOL scores improved significantly from baseline (67 to 39, p<0.001), with no predictors of unwanted hair growth identified. Overall, patients experienced clinical and QoL improvements, supporting a favorable patient-centered profile for LDOM.