How to choose medication for female hair loss and thinning hair

  Current recommended medications include: Oral medications: Spironolactone: For female patients For female patients. Reduces testosterone production by the adrenal glands. Also has a mild inhibitory effect on DHT and androgen receptor binding. Dosage is 40-200 mg/day, which can lead to some improvement of symptoms in some patients. The main adverse effects are menstrual disorders, decreased libido, and breast tenderness. A course of treatment for at least 1 year is recommended. The blood potassium concentration needs to be checked during treatment.  Ciproterone: For female patients, especially those with comorbid acne and hirsutism, Daing-35 (containing 2mg of cyproterone acetate and 35μg of ethinyl estradiol) can be taken as one tablet daily for 21d from the 1st to the 5th day of menstruation, with 7d of discontinuation before starting the next course of treatment. Also available is cyproterone (containing cyproterone 100mg and ethinyl estradiol 30μg), which has a strong anti-androgenic effect, to be taken on the 5th-24th d of the menstrual cycle, 1 tablet daily, contraindicated in patients with hepatic and renal insufficiency and minors. The main adverse effects are decreased libido and weight gain.  Topical drugs: Minoxidil is an effective topical hair growth drug, which can stimulate the epidermal hair papilla cells to express vascular endothelial growth factor, dilate the scalp blood vessels, improve microcirculation, and promote hair growth. Clinically there are 2% and 5% two concentration doses, 2% and 5% minoxidil solution efficacy is equivalent. Generally, men are recommended to use 5% concentration, women are recommended to use 2% concentration, because female patients with 5% minoxidil local or extensive hirsutism incidence significantly increased. Usage: twice a day, each time the dosage of 1.0-1.5 mL. the average onset of action for 12 weeks, the recommended duration of use of six months to more than 1 year, both men and women can use, the efficiency of up to 50%-85%, to mild to moderate baldness better. If the efficacy is to be maintained, a longer maintenance treatment is required. Common adverse reactions are contact dermatitis and hypertrichosis. The increase in hairs will decrease or subside after about 1 year, and will completely subside 1-6 months after discontinuation of the drug.