Hair loss is a common and distressing symptom. With the approval of two drugs that promote
hair growth—finasteride and minoxidil—we can now treat patients with some types of hair
loss. Both drugs influence the hair-growth cycle and increase the length and diameter of
existing hair, although their mechanisms of action differ. In this article, I will focus on the
treatment of two common problems, androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata, both of
which involve a reversible alteration of the hair-growth cycle. The Hair-Growth Cycle Hair …