The only two drugs currently approved by the FDA for the treatment of androgenic alopecia are minoxidil (used topically) and finasteride (taken orally).[1] Of these, minoxidil is approved for the treatment of both male- and female-pattern hair loss, while finasteride is only approved for men with male-pattern hair loss. Other treatments used for androgenic alopecia include dutasteride, prostaglandin analogs (e.g., latanoprost), injection with platelet-rich plasma, and anti-androgens (for women with hair loss due to high androgen levels).
The first-line treatment for alopecia areata is the injection of corticosteroids into sites of hair loss.[2]