Efficacy of a herbal drug and Minoxidil 2% solution for treating Telogen effluvium infection

Abstract

Background: Telogen effluvium is a self-limited, non-scarring disease that shows itself as a diffuse hair loss of the scalp that usually occurs 3 months after an acute illness. Theoretically, Minoxidil solution has been suggested as a treatment for this condition. In this study, we compared the efficacy of the minoxidil and an herbal drug containing urtica diocia, chamomilla, thymus vulgaris, equisetum avenues and foeniculum vulgare for treating telogen effluvium. Material and methods: This study was a double – blind prospective study. 24 patients with telogen effluvium were allocated randomly in two groups and were treated with minoxidil and the herbal drug. Data were analyzed statistically. Results: The mean duration of telogen effluvium in the minoxidil group was 17 weeks and in the herbal drug group was 7 weeks. This difference was statistically significant. Conclusion: From this study, it is condoled that this herbal drug is effective in telogen effluvium although more studies are recommended in this field.