The use of herbal medicines for treatment of androgenic alopecia in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Androgenic alopecia is a process of hair loss that occurs in both males and females, whereby hair becomes weak and thin. Plants have long been used to aid hair growth, with evidence suggesting benefit of some plant and herbal products in treating androgenic alopecia. This descriptive cross-sectional, facility-based study involved all patients with androgenic alopecia attending dermatology outpatient clinics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data was collected using an author designed selfadministered questionnaire. All 384 participants reported having previous knowledge about herbal products used in androgenic alopecia, with social media (71.4%) and family and friends (78.6%) being the most commonly sources of information. Henna (61.2%) and aloe (56.3%) were the most commonly used herbal products, with hair damage being the most common indication (73.4%). Yogurt (54.4%) and eggs (49.5%) were among the most commonly mentioned home remedies for androgenic alopecia. The distribution of herbal product usage among research participants was rather balanced, with female individuals reporting more frequent use than male participants (p 0.001). Approximately 15.4% of participants said herbal remedies were unhelpful, while 61.7% said they were beneficial in treating AA. Patients with androgenic alopecia frequently employ a variety of herbal treatments and home remedies, including henna, aloe, yogurt and eggs. Hair damage treatment was the most frequent usage of natural and home treatments. In addition to being safe when used with other treatments for androgenic alopecia, herbal remedies were thought to be a successful therapy.