The aim of the study is to evaluate the therapeutic efficiency of minoxidil solution iontophoresis on Androgenic Alopecia.
Hair is an important component of identity and self-image. Hair loss can lead to a variety of psychological difficulties and have a negative impact on quality of life (QoL). Loss of self-confidence lowered self-esteem, and heightened self-consciousness are common responses to hair loss, particularly for women. People with alopecia are more likely to develop depression and anxiety. Some studies have proposed iontophoresis and ultrasound as energetic drug delivery methods to favor topical therapy of alopecia. Iontophoresis is a non-invasive technique that applies a small electric current (of no more than 0.5 mA/cm2) on the skin's surface to increase and control drug delivery. The technique is widely studied to stimulate the skin penetration and permeation of hydrophilic drugs, which would not be absorbed by the skin when passively applied. The transport of drugs through the skin as a result of the electric current is driven by two different mechanisms, ie, electromigration in the case of charged drugs and electroosmosis in the case of neutral drugs. Furthermore the need of this study is developed from the lack in quantitative knowledge and information in published studies which investigate effect of minoxidil solution iontophoresis on Androgenic alopecia.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
25
The half of the scalp of the participants will be treated with 5% minoxidil solution through Iontophoresis that will be applied at small low voltage (typically 10 V or less) continuous constant current (typically 0.5 mA/cm2 or less) to push a charged drug into skin or other tissue, twice daily at home.
The other half of the scalp of the participants will be treated with placebo saline solution ( control) with the current application.
Mahmoud Ibrahim Mohamed
Zagazig, Egypt
Change in the number of hair follicles
Trichoscopy will be used to detect the change in the number of hair follicles as a comparison between before and after intervention. Trichoscopy helped with the definitive diagnosis of Alopeacia in patients for whom the clinical diagnosis was doubtful, which was confirmed by histopathology. Thus trichoscopy is a noninvasive, sensitive and specific investigation that is valuable in women with alopecia, the cause of which is otherwise very difficult to assess clinically, and it has a definite role in the diagnosis of cases with an atypical clinical picture.Trichoscopy results were obtained in frontal, occipital and both temporal areas of scalp, including number of yellow dots and vellus hairs, number of hairs in one pilosebaceous unit and percentage of follicular ostia with perifollicular hyperpigmentation.
Time frame: 12 weeks
Change of hair thickness
Global Photographic System will be used to detect the change of hair thickness as a comparison between before and after intervention. The Global Photographic Assessment is useful for determining overall clinical changes in a patient over times period in a standardized manner, Global Photographs are head shots taken a short distance away from the patients, a patient is usually photographed from the front, top, sides, and back to show accordingly a frontal hair line, crown, partition and vertex.
Time frame: 12 weeks
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.