Abstract: We have obtained satisfactory result in the treatment of male patern baldness with topical minoxidil preparation. For further studying we performed the study of female androgenetic alopecia treated topicaly with 3% minoxidil.Methods: Randomized double-blind placebo controled prospective study was used.Eficacy was determined by doctor's and patients' observation,hair count and taking picture.Either 2ml of 3% minoxidil solution or placebo was used twice daily.Subjects who began with placebo were crosedover to 3% minoxidil after the first four months,and both groups continued to use minoxidil for an additional 8 months in open trial.Patients:Patients with female androgenetic alopecia age <60 years old,duration of disease <20 years,and local residents entered into the study.There were 24 cases in the treatment group and 21 in the control group.Results: Doctor's and patients' observation showed that the rates of efectiveness of both minoxidil and control groups were 58.3% (14/24) and 14.2% (3/21) respectively (P=0.0023),after four month treatment;72.2% (13/18) and 73.3% (11/15) after twelve months. 60% casesin the treatment group the nonvelus hairs at four months outnumbered those at baseline,65% cases at twelve months,and the hair count in 32% casesat twelve months was greater than that at four months.The mean velus hair count of minoxidil group increased after 1～2 montht reatment,velus hairs appeared to change into nonvelus hairs after 3～4 months and velus hairs began to decrease.Nonvelus hairs began to increase after two months and continued to increase for eight months.Mean nonvelus hairs at the end of four months were 20.7±67.0 in minoxidil group and 10.6±64.8 incontrol group,the diference is significant (P=0.03).The photographs of some patients taken before and after treatment also showed satistactory result.Although some of the patients are of no efect,they are wiling to use the drug for a long period for the control of the development of alopecia.

Key words: Minoxidil, Alopecia