Topically applied niacin derivatives for treatment of female hair loss

* Draelos ZD, * Jacobson EL, * Kim H, * Kim M, * Jacobson MK.

Department of Dermatology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, NC.

Background Female pattern alopecia is a common dermatologic condition that manifests after puberty. The only approved drug treatment for this condition is 2% minoxidil for topical application. Aims This pilot study examined the effect of topical application of two niacin derivatives, octyl nicotinate and tetradecyl nicotinate, on hair fullness in female alopecia. Patients/methods Sixty female subjects with Ludwig types I-III female pattern hair loss were evaluated in a double-blinded, placebo-controlled (40 active, 20 placebo) design using standardized 35-mm photographic analyses for assessment of efficacy after 6 months of application. Results The niacin derivatives demonstrated a statistically significant increase in hair fullness (P = 0.04 compared to the placebo). Conclusion Whereas evaluation of hair growth in women is challenging, this 6-month pilot study demonstrated statistically significant increase in hair fullness on blinded 35-mm photographic analysis. Long-term topical application of nicotinic acid derivatives offers promise for providing benefit in female alopecia and warrants further study.

They used to have info on the hair regrowth product they're working on: http://web.archive.org/web/20060516090150/http://www.niadyne.com/hairrejuv.html ...not sure why they've taken it down.