Korean J Dermatol.
2011 Jul;49(7):579-586.
A Pilot Study on the Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Androgenetic Alopecia
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Dermatology, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea. dockbs@pusan.ac.kr
- 2Department of Dermatology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Korea.
- 3Department of Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Korea.
- 4Department of Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology and Dermatology, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Busan, Korea.
Abstract
- BACKGROUND
Use of treatments categorized as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) have increased considerably in the field of dermatology. However, most studies have been focused on atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, and little is known of the prevalence of use of CAM in patients with androgenetic alopecia (AGA).
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to determine the frequency, type, duration, and factors associated with the use of CAM in the treatment of AGA at a dermatologic outpatient clinic.
METHODS
AGA patients at the outpatient clinic (n=151) received a face-to-face structured questionnaire covering 5 types of CAM plus an open alternative labeled 'other type'.
RESULTS
Overall 70.2% (106/151) of the subjects with AGA reported the current or previous use of at least 1 CAM. Topical application (85, 56.3%) was most frequently used, followed by diet therapy (35, 23.2%), health food supplements (15, 9.9%), massage therapy (13, 8.6%), and Oriental medicine (10, 6.6%). With respect to the reasons for using CAM, 'recommendation by people around the patient' (59.4%) was most commonly chosen by the patients. The subjective therapeutic effect and satisfaction with CAM were the best with health food supplements and topical application (80.0% and 21.1%, respectively).
CONCLUSION
As our results indicate that the use of CAM continues to rise by patients with AGA, the need for reliable sources of information about specific CAM therapies becomes more essential. To assist AGA patients in selecting proper treatment modalities, further longitudinal and controlled studies are required to assess the efficacy and safety of CAM.
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