MINOXIDIL TREATMENT OF ALOPECIA AREATA ====================================== From: Christopher Clay A local hair restoration company has take to requesting that local doctors prescribe the following regimen for their clients: Topical: minoxidil 4% with retinoic acid 0.025% Oral: minoxidil 5mg daily This is attributed to a Dr Adam Lewenberg of NY. I cannot connect the name "Lewenberg" with minoxidil using Medline although there are articles on the combination of minoxidil and retinoic acid. Does anyone have experience with this regimen? Any comments? Chris Clay ========== I have asked a similar question to Professor Vera Price at the Singapore Conference in 1995. She ran a controlled study between two regimins (Minoxidil or Minoxidil + tretinoin). after 6 months, there is an increase in weight with the latter approach (I think they shave the hair and weigh it). In addition, there is a paper published by Mnau Saksena (India) which also reported a good result. I have used it on two patients. They like it but unfortunately there is no Tretinoin lotion available in Hong Kong, and I use the cream instead. I wonder if there is anyone with experience in usng intralesional steroid for this problem? Alson Wong MRCP .DIP DERM (London) ======================= We have been using the 2% minoxidil with tretinoin cream with good results in patients with AA. We also use intralesional steroids, kenacort 5mg/ml with aristospan 5 mg/ml. This we follow with short contact anthralin, tretinoin cream .025% and 2% minoxidil. Jonathan Yu, MD Skin & Cancer Foundation Makati, Philippines =================== In the original articles on minoxidil therapy it was said that the folks who had the best hair growth from topical minoxidil had serum levels equivalent to a 5mg oral dose. Haines ELy, Grass Valley Haines Ely MD ============= - - -- - - - 4.01.96