Effects of oral minoxidil on serum VEGF and hair regrowth in androgenetic alopeciaKawen, Ahmed Abdulhussein (Avtor) androgenetic alopeciahair regrowthvascular endothelial growth factororal minoxidilhair follicle angiogenesisIntroduction: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a common hair loss condition characterized by follicular miniaturization. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a key role in promoting angiogenesis and supporting hair follicle growth. Oral minoxidil has been suggested to upregulate VEGF levels, enhancing hair regrowth. Methods: This prospective study included 50 participants divided into two groups: oral minoxidil (1 mg/day; n = 25) and control (n = 25). Serum VEGF levels were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment. Hair growth parameters, including hair count, diameter, shedding, and pull test results, were assessed systematically. Results: Baseline VEGF levels were similar between groups (p = 0.1873). Post-treatment, VEGF levels increased significantly in the minoxidil group (217.88 ± 22.65 pg/ml vs. 142.81 ± 23.14 pg/ml in the control, p < 0.0001). Hair count and diameter improved significantly (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0040, respectively), with reductions in shedding and pull test results (p < 0.0001). Positive correlations were observed between VEGF and hair count (r = 0.9965), whereas shedding showed negative correlations (r = −0.5374). Conclusions: Oral minoxidil significantly enhances VEGF levels, promoting hair growth and reducing shedding. VEGF serves as a promising biomarker for assessing treatment effectiveness and understanding the angiogenic mechanisms involved in AGA.Združenje slovenskih dermatovenerologov20252026-06-09 08:37:51Neznano29897slNa spletni strani revije navedeno: Acta Dermatovenerologica Alpina, Pannonica et Adriatica (ISSN 1318-4458) is an open access medical journal published quarterly by the Association of Slovenian Dermatovenerologists (https://acta-apa.mf.uni-lj.si/index.php); Authors publishing in our journal retain copyright of their work under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0). This license allows unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction of the work in any medium, provided the original author(s) and copyright holder(s) are appropriately credited, and the original publication in the journal is properly cited, following established academic practices (https://acta-apa.mf.uni-lj.si/submissions.php).