Does minoxidil regrow hair in women?

What we can tell you today: how thoroughly this has been studied.

Thoroughly studied

26 studies, of which 6 bring together the results of several trials in people. This is as strong as evidence gets.

5 Repeated evidence 6 studies

4 Large controlled trial 2 studies

3 Small study in people 18 studies

This says how thoroughly something has been studied — not whether it works for you. What each study actually found is in the study itself, and in the plain-language write-ups we are adding.

Appears under: Hair and nails

The studies

5 Repeated evidence Low-dose oral minoxidil does not significantly affect blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
2025 · Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · 119 participants
5 Repeated evidence Contact Dermatitis Caused by Topical Minoxidil: Allergy or Just Irritation.
2025 · Acta dermato-venereologica · 54 participants
5 Repeated evidence Efficacy and safety of oral minoxidil in the treatment of alopecia: a single-arm rate meta-analysis and systematic review.
2025 · Frontiers in pharmacology · 2,933 participants
5 Repeated evidence Safety of low-dose oral minoxidil treatment for hair loss. A systematic review and pooled-analysis of individual patient data.
2021 · Dermatologic therapy · 442 participants
5 Repeated evidence The Efficacy of Topical Minoxidil for Non-Scarring Alopecia: A Systematic Review.
2019 · Journal of drugs in dermatology : JDD
5 Repeated evidence The relative effect of monotherapy with 5-alpha reductase inhibitors and minoxidil for female pattern hair loss: A network meta-analysis study.
2024 · Journal of cosmetic dermatology
4 Large controlled trial Fractional CO 2 Laser and Minoxidil in the Treatment of Alopecia Areata, A Comparative Study.
2025 · Lasers in surgery and medicine · 150 participants
4 Large controlled trial A Phase III, Multicenter, Parallel-Design Clinical Trial to Compare the Efficacy and Safety of 5% Minoxidil Foam Versus Vehicle in Women With Female Pattern Hair Loss.
2017 · Journal of drugs in dermatology : JDD · 404 participants
3 Small study in people Efficacy of Topical Combination of 0.25% Finasteride and 3% Minoxidil Versus 3% Minoxidil Solution in Female Pattern Hair Loss: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Study.
2019 · American journal of clinical dermatology
3 Small study in people Low level light-minoxidil 5% combination versus either therapeutic modality alone in management of female patterned hair loss: A randomized controlled study.
2018 · Lasers in surgery and medicine · 45 participants
3 Small study in people Comparative efficacy of 2% minoxidil alone against combination of 2% minoxidil and low-level laser therapy in female pattern hair loss-A randomized controlled trial in Chinese females.
2024 · Photodiagnosis and photodynamic therapy
3 Small study in people Photobiomodulation therapy and 5% minoxidil in female pattern hair loss: a case series focusing on hair growth phases over a shorter timeframe.
2025 · Lasers in medical science
3 Small study in people SULT1A1 (Minoxidil Sulfotransferase) enzyme booster significantly improves response to topical minoxidil for hair regrowth.
2021 · Journal of cosmetic dermatology
3 Small study in people Comparative study of the efficacy and safety of topical minoxidil 2% versus topical bimatoprost 0.01% versus topical bimatoprost 0.03% in treatment of eyebrow hypotrichosis: a randomized controlled trial.
2023 · Archives of dermatological research · 20 participants
3 Small study in people Enhanced follicular delivery of minoxidil to human scalp skin using cetosomal formulation.
2026 · Colloids and surfaces. B, Biointerfaces · 12 participants · manufacturer helped fund this
3 Small study in people Use of 5% Topical Minoxidil Application for Telogen Effluvium: An Open-Label Single-Arm Clinical Trial.
2025 · The Journal of dermatology · manufacturer helped fund this
3 Small study in people Blood pressure changes in patients after Minoxidil microinfusion to treat female pattern alopecia: analysis of a randomized, single blinded, placebo controlled clinical trial.
2025 · Archives of dermatological research · 24 participants
3 Small study in people Propylene glycol free 5% minoxidil lotion formulation: cosmetic acceptability, local tolerability, clinical efficacy and in-vitro skin absorption evaluations.
2021 · Giornale italiano di dermatologia e venereologia : orga
3 Small study in people Minoxidil 2% lotion for eyebrow enhancement: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, spilt-face comparative study.
2015 · The Journal of dermatology
3 Small study in people The effects of minoxidil, 1% pyrithione zinc and a combination of both on hair density: a randomized controlled trial.
2003 · The British journal of dermatology
3 Small study in people Minoxidil stimulates cutaneous blood flow in human balding scalps: pharmacodynamics measured by laser Doppler velocimetry and photopulse plethysmography.
1985 · The Journal of investigative dermatology
3 Small study in people Minoxidil (Mx) as a prophylaxis of doxorubicin--induced alopecia.
1995 · Annals of oncology : official journal of the European S
3 Small study in people Topical minoxidil: cardiac effects in bald man.
1988 · British journal of clinical pharmacology · 20 participants
3 Small study in people The history of the development of minoxidil.
1989 · Clinics in dermatology
3 Small study in people Relationship between contact time of applied dose and percutaneous absorption of minoxidil from a topical solution.
1990 · Journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3 Small study in people Clinical and haemodynamic effects of minoxidil in refractory hypertension.
1976 · Drugs