Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of cow placenta extract lotion versus minoxidil 2% in the treatment of female pattern androgenetic alopecia

Placenta extract has been shown to improve androgenetic alopecia (AGA) by inducing the anagen phase and increasing hair follicle density and size. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of cow placenta extract lotion compared with topical minoxidil 2% as a gold standard treatment for female pattern AGA. In this double-blind, randomized controlled trial, a total of 90 women with AGA were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive either topical minoxidil 2% or cow placenta solutions. At the end of the sixth month, the number of hair follicles was evaluated using a trichoscope and compared with the baseline. Global photographic review was also conducted by a blinded dermatologist. By the end of the sixth month, there was an increase in total hair count in the specified area in both groups. The mean increase in hair count was 10.9 ± 5.74 and 10.2 ± 6.5 for minoxidil and cow placenta groups, respectively (p = .63). The percentage of patients who were rated as having moderate or marked growth was 44.2% and 32.2% in the cow placenta and minoxidil groups, respectively (p = .90). The study limitations were the limited number of cases, short duration of treatment, and the fact that none of our participants volunteered to undergo a biopsy to evaluate microscopic changes. Cow placenta hair-tonic lotion can be as effective as minoxidil 2% for female pattern AGA.