To describe the evolution of the hair-loss clinical trial landscape from 2015 to 2025, focusing on trial volume, geography, indications, intervention types, outcome assessment, and sponsorship.
Approach:
Key Findings:
514 hair-loss trials identified, with registrations increasing over time, especially after 2020.
Trial activity was global but concentrated in North America.
Androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata were the predominant conditions studied.
Pharmacologic therapies were the most common interventions, with a variety of approaches noted in androgenetic alopecia.
Outcome reporting was heterogeneous, and objective imaging was infrequent.
Interpretation:
The analysis highlights a rapidly expanding yet uneven landscape of hair-loss clinical research, marked by geographic concentration and variability in outcome specification.
Limitations:
The study does not address the quality or effectiveness of the interventions.
Outcome reporting was heterogeneous, complicating comparisons across studies.
Certain populations were underrepresented in the trials.
Conclusion:
The findings indicate a need for standardized outcomes, broader population representation, and alignment between research investment and clinical need in hair-loss disorders.
by Alexa D. Parra-Guerra, Luis E. Sánchez-Dueñas, Mariana León Quintero-Loreto, Deyanira G. Quinoñes-Hernández, Jessica A. Moreno-Alanis, Farah K. Sevilla González, Cesar J. Ramos Cavazos, Daniela Gutiérrez Mendoza, César D. Villarreal-Villarreal, Jonathan M. Chejfec-Ciociano