Comparative efficacy of minoxidil alone versus minoxidil combined with low-level laser therapy in the treatment of androgenic alopecia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Comparative efficacy of minoxidil alone versus minoxidil combined with low-level laser therapy in the treatment of androgenic alopecia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective This systematic review evaluates the efficacy of minoxidil alone versus minoxidil with low-level laser therapy (LLLT) for androgenic alopecia.Study design systematic review and meta-analysis.Methods An online search of PubMed, Web of Science, and MEDLINE was conducted. Randomized clinical...

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Main Authors: Abdulmajeed Alosaimi, Abdullah Algarni, Abdulrahman Alharbi, Abdulmalik Alotaibi, Abdullah Alomairi, Mohannad Alsurayhi, Waleed Alharbi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Journal of Dermatological Treatment
Subjects:
Androgenic alopecia
pattern baldness
male pattern baldness
female pattern baldness
low level laser therapy
low light laser therapy
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/09546634.2024.2447355
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Summary:Objective This systematic review evaluates the efficacy of minoxidil alone versus minoxidil with low-level laser therapy (LLLT) for androgenic alopecia.Study design systematic review and meta-analysis.Methods An online search of PubMed, Web of Science, and MEDLINE was conducted. Randomized clinical trials comparing minoxidil monotherapy with minoxidil and LLLT combination therapy were included based on predefined criteria. The Risk of Bias 2.0 (RoB 2.0) tool was used for quality assessment.Results From 38 identified studies, 34 remained after excluding 4 duplicates. Further exclusions left 4 eligible studies comparing minoxidil alone with minoxidil and LLLT. The meta-analysis found no statistically significant differences in hair counts between the two groups at baseline, 12 weeks, and 8 weeks post-treatment [mean difference = −0.04, 95% CI −1.22 to 1.14, p = .95, I² = 0%]. Similarly, hair diameter showed no significant differences at the same time points [mean difference = 0.00, 95% CI −0.00 to 0.00, p = .98, I² = 38%].Conclusion The combination of minoxidil and LLLT does not significantly improve outcomes compared to minoxidil alone for treating androgenic alopecia.
ISSN:0954-6634
1471-1753

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