PROPECIA male hair loss treatment: twins study

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The objective of the PROPECIA Twins study was to see how effective PROPECIA was compared to placebo in treating male pattern hair loss in 9 pairs of male identical twins over 12 months.

How the hair growth study was done

The PROPECIA Twins study was a placebo-controlled, randomised, double-blind, study.

Some terms explained:

• Placebo-controlled: in each pair of twins, one was taking the male hair loss treatment, PROPECIA, and the other was taking a placebo (a dummy pill that looks identical to real PROPECIA).
• Double-blind: none of the doctors who administered the study, nor any of the twins taking part knew which twins were taking male hair loss treatment PROPECIA and which were taking placebo.
• Both twins in each pair had the same Norwood/Hamilton hair loss classification (i.e. were at similar stages of hair loss) at the start of the study.

The results were measured by assessing standardised clinical photographs, hair counts and patient self-assessment questionnaires.

Hair growth results

Photographic

At month 12, the photographic assessments showed that the group taking PROPECIA (n=9) had significant improvements when compared against baseline (how their hair was when they started), unlike the placebo group (n=9); These assessments are based on the top (vertex) and front (superior frontal) view of the head.

Hair count

All patients (8 out of 8), taking male hair loss treatment PROPECIA at month 12, showed an increase in hair growth, whereas 44% of those who received placebo lost hair.

Patient self-assessment

At month 12, more patients receiving male hair loss treatment PROPECIA (8 out of 9) reported improvement than patients receiving placebo (n=9), on each of the 7 hair growth questions.

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