***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: One-hundred twenty-six healthy men with early male pattern baldness completed a 12-month double-blind , controlled trial of 2 % and 3 % topical minoxidil . Subjects were initially r and omly assigned to use placebo or 2 % or 3 % topical minoxidil . After 4 months of study , the placebo group was crossed over to 3 % topical minoxidil . Both objective measurement of hair growth by counting of vellus , terminal , and total hairs in a vertex target balding area and subjective assessment by subject and investigator were done . Treatment of subjects with topical minoxidil for 4 months result ed in a statistically significant increase in terminal hair growth in comparison with placebo therapy . In addition , subjects initially treated with placebo , when crossed over to topical minoxidil , showed a significant increase in the number of terminal hairs . No subject had a net hair loss in the target area during the study . These results indicate that topical minoxidil can increase terminal hair growth in early male pattern baldness A double-blind 12-month trial was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of topical minoxidil in patients with and rogenetic alopecia . During the first 4 months of the study , patients applied a topical solution containing either 2 % minoxidil , 3 % minoxidil , or placebo to their scalps twice daily . At the end of the fourth month , patients taking placebo were crossed over to treatment with 3 % minoxidil solution . Of 60 patients enrolled in the study , 43 were evaluable at month 12 .  Hairs were counted in a 1-inch target area and classified as vellus , indeterminate , and terminal ; the latter two classifications were combined as nonvellus hairs for further statistical analysis . All three groups had significant increases in total , nonvellus , and terminal hair counts between baseline and month 4 and between month 4 and month 12 . At month 4 the average total hair counts increased from a baseline mean of 158.2 to 270.2 in the 2 % minoxidil group , from 156.6 to 287.0 in the 3 % minoxidil group , and from 162.6 to 246.9 in the placebo group . At month 12 the means were 415.6 , 448.5 , and 471.1 in the 2 % minoxidil , 3 % minoxidil , and placebo-3 % minoxidil crossover subjects , respectively . The increases from month 4 to month 12 were highly significant for each group ( p = 0.0001 ) . Average increases in nonvellus hair counts between months 4 and 12 were 216 , 181 , and 264 in the 2 % minoxidil , 3 % minoxidil , and placebo-to-3 % minoxidil crossover groups , respectively , all highly significant differences from zero ( p = 0.0001 ) . ( ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS Fifty-eight men with Hamilton scale type III vertex or type IV male pattern baldness were studied to determine the dose-response activity of low concentrations of topical minoxidil in promoting hair growth . The patients were treated with topical minoxidil at doses of 0.01 % , 0.1 % , 1 % , or 2 % or placebo in a r and omized double-blind design for 6 months . At the end of 6 months , patients using 0.1 % , 1 % , and 2 % topical minoxidil solutions showed a significantly greater difference in the mean increase of nonvellus hair growth in comparison with those using 0.01 % minoxidil or placebo . There was a clear dose-response correlation for the increase of nonvellus hairs in the 0.1 % , 1 % , and 2 % minoxidil treatment groups . There was a statistically significant difference in patient 's self-evaluation of overall hair growth and degree of decreased hair shedding in the 1 % and 2 % minoxidil groups when compared with the other study groups . From this study we conclude that significant increases in nonvellus hair counts occur with 0.1 % and greater doses of minoxidil . However , only in patients treated with the 1 % and 2 % solutions of minoxidil was there clinical ly perceptible hair growth BACKGROUND Finasteride , a specific inhibitor of type II 5alpha-reductase , decreases serum and scalp dihydrotestosterone and has been shown to be effective in men with vertex male pattern hair loss . OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the efficacy of finasteride 1 mg/day in men with frontal ( anterior/mid ) scalp hair thinning .  METHODS This was a 1-year , double-blind , placebo-controlled study followed by a 1-year open extension . Efficacy was assessed by hair counts ( 1 cm2 circular area ) , patient and investigator assessment s , and global photographic review . RESULTS There was a significant increase in hair count in the frontal scalp of finasteride-treated patients ( P < .001 ) , as well as significant improvements in patient , investigator , and global photographic assessment s. Efficacy was maintained or improved throughout the second year of the study . Finasteride was generally well tolerated . CONCLUSION In men with hair loss in the anterior/mid area of the scalp , finasteride 1 mg/day slowed hair loss and increased hair growth BACKGROUND To pical minoxidil solution 2 % stimulates new hair growth and helps stop the loss of hair in men with and rogenetic alopecia and women with female pattern hair loss . Results can be variable , and historic experience suggests that higher concentrations of topical minoxidil may enhance efficacy . OBJECTIVE The purpose of this 48-week , double-blind , placebo-controlled , r and omized , multicenter trial was to compare the efficacy and safety of 5 % topical minoxidil with 2 % topical minoxidil and placebo in the treatment of female pattern hair loss . METHODS A total of 381 women ( 18 - 49 years old ) with female pattern hair loss applied 5 % topical minoxidil solution ( n = 153 ) , 2 % topical minoxidil solution ( n = 154 ) , or placebo ( vehicle for 5 % solution ; n = 74 ) twice daily . Primary efficacy variables were change in nonvellus hair count at week 48 , and patient and investigator assessment s of change in hair growth/scalp coverage at week 48 . RESULTS After 48 weeks of therapy , 5 % topical minoxidil was superior to placebo for each of the 3 primary efficacy measures . The 2 % topical minoxidil group demonstrated superiority over placebo for hair count and investigator assessment of hair growth/scalp coverage at week 48 ; differences in patient assessment of hair growth at week 48 were not significantly different from placebo . The 5 % topical minoxidil group demonstrated statistical superiority over the 2 % topical minoxidil group in the patient assessment of treatment benefit at week 48 . Both 5 % and 2 % topical minoxidil helped improve psychosocial perceptions of hair loss in women with female pattern hair loss . An increased occurrence of pruritus , local irritation , and hypertrichosis was observed with 5 % topical minoxidil versus 2 % topical minoxidil and placebo . CONCLUSION In this 48-week study of 381 women with female pattern hair loss , 5 % topical minoxidil was superior to placebo on each of the 3 primary efficacy end points : promoting hair growth as measured by change in nonvellus hair count and patient/investigator assessment s of hair growth and scalp coverage . Application of 2 % topical minoxidil was superior to placebo for assessment s of nonvellus hair counts and investigator assessment of hair growth/scalp coverage at week 48 ; differences in patient assessment of hair growth at week 48 were not significantly different from placebo . At week 48 , the 5 % topical minoxidil group demonstrated statistical superiority over the 2 % topical minoxidil group in the patient assessment of treatment benefit . Both concentrations of topical minoxidil were well tolerated by the women in this trial without evidence of systemic adverse effects . With the introduction of numerous herbal remedies for hair loss , of which most have not been tested in r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled trials , it is important to describe well-controlled trials that demonstrate the efficacy and safety of topical drugs BACKGROUND Male pattern hair loss ( MPHL ) is a potentially reversible condition in which dihydrotestosterone is an important etiologic factor . OBJECTIVE Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of the type 1 and 2 5alpha-reductase inhibitor dutasteride in men with MPHL . METHODS Four hundred sixteen men , 21 to 45 years old , were r and omized to receive dutasteride 0.05 , 0.1 , 0.5 or 2.5 mg , finasteride 5 mg , or placebo daily for 24 weeks . RESULTS Dutasteride increased target area hair count versus placebo in a dose-dependent fashion and dutasteride 2.5 mg was superior to finasteride at 12 and 24 weeks . Expert panel photographic review and investigator assessment of hair growth confirmed these results . Scalp and serum dihydrotestosterone levels decreased , and testosterone levels increased , in a dose-dependent fashion with dutasteride . LIMITATIONS The study was limited to 24 weeks . CONCLUSION Dutasteride increases scalp hair growth in men with MPHL . Type 1 and type 2 5alpha-reductase may be important in the pathogenesis and treatment of MPHL BACKGROUND Women generally regard their hair loss as socially unacceptable and go to great measures to conceal their problem . In some cases , the negative self-image brought about by hair loss may be the basis of psychiatric illness . The purpose of this study was to evaluate a 2 % topical minoxidil solution ( Rogaine/Regaine , The Upjohn Co , Kalamazoo , Mich ) for the treatment of female and rogenetic alopecia . A 32-week , double-blind , placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 11 US centers . Three hundred eight women with and rogenetic alopecia were enrolled . Two hundred fifty-six of these women completed the trial . A refined photographic technique was used to objective ly determine the number of nonvellus hairs regrown . RESULTS After 32 weeks of treatment , the number of nonvellus hairs in a 1-cm2 evaluation site was increased by an average of 23 hairs in the 2 % minoxidil group and by an average of 11 hairs in the placebo group . The 95 % confidence interval for the difference in mean hair count change between the treatment groups was 5.9 to 17.5 hairs . The investigators determined that 13 % in the minoxidil-treated group had moderate growth and 50 % had minimal growth . This compared with 6 % and 33 % , respectively , in the placebo-treated group . Similarly , 60 % of the patients in the 2 % minoxidil group reported that they had new hair growth ( 20 % moderate , 40 % minimal ) compared with 40 % ( 7 % moderate , 33 % minimal ) of the patients in the placebo group . No evaluations of dense hair growth were reported for either treatment group . No clinical ly significant changes in vital signs were observed and no serious or unexpected medical events were reported . CONCLUSIONS Topical minoxidil was significantly more effective than placebo in the treatment of female and rogenetic alopecia BACKGROUND Topical minoxidil solution 2 % stimulates new hair growth and helps stop the loss of hair in individuals with and rogenetic alopecia ( AGA ) . Results can be variable , and historical experience suggests that higher concentrations of topical minoxidil may enhance efficacy . OBJECTIVE The purpose of this 48-week , double-blind , placebo-controlled , r and omized , multicenter trial was to compare 5 % topical minoxidil with 2 % topical minoxidil and placebo in the treatment of men with AGA . METHODS A total of 393 men ( 18 - 49 years old ) with AGA applied 5 % topical minoxidil solution ( n = 157 ) , 2 % topical minoxidil solution ( n = 158 ) , or placebo ( vehicle for 5 % solution ; n = 78 ) twice daily . Efficacy was evaluated by scalp target area hair counts and patient and investigator assessment s of change in scalp coverage and benefit of treatment . RESULTS After 48 weeks of therapy , 5 % topical minoxidil was significantly superior to 2 % topical minoxidil and placebo in terms of change from baseline in nonvellus hair count , patient rating of scalp coverage and treatment benefit , and investigator rating of scalp coverage . Hair count data indicate that response to treatment occurred earlier with 5 % compared with 2 % topical minoxidil . Additionally , data from a patient question naire on quality of life , global benefit , hair growth , and hair styling demonstrated that 5 % topical minoxidil helped improve patients ' psychosocial perceptions of hair loss . An increased occurrence of pruritus and local irritation was observed with 5 % topical minoxidil compared with 2 % topical minoxidil . CONCLUSION In men with AGA , 5 % topical minoxidil was clearly superior to 2 % topical minoxidil and placebo in increasing hair regrowth , and the magnitude of its effect was marked ( 45 % more hair regrowth than 2 % topical minoxidil at week 48 ) . Men who used 5 % topical minoxidil also had an earlier response to treatment than those who used 2 % topical minoxidil . Psychosocial perceptions of hair loss in men with AGA were also improved . Topical minoxidil ( 5 % and 2 % ) was well tolerated by the men in this trial without evidence of systemic effects BACKGROUND Dutasteride 
    Output:
    
Conclusions This meta‐ analysis strongly suggests that minoxidil , finasteride , and low‐level laser light therapy are effective for promoting hair growth in men with and rogenetic alopecia and that minoxidil is effective in women with and rogenetic alopecia .