Systematic review evaluates injectable mesotherapy efficacy and safety for hair loss

Dutasteride and multivitamins lead the studied agents, though protocols remain highly variable.

A systematic literature review published ahead of print on January 28, 2026, in *Dermatologic Surgery* confirms that scalp mesotherapy can provide cosmetic benefits for androgenetic alopecia, meaning clinics have some peer-reviewed backing to offer these treatments, though standardized protocols are still lacking. The review analyzed 30 studies, which comprised 7 interventional trials, 11 observational studies, and 12 descriptive reports. The most frequently studied agents were multivitamin and peptide formulations, followed by dutasteride, minoxidil, bicalutamide, growth factors, and finasteride.

Reported positive outcomes included increased hair density, increased shaft diameter, and stabilized shedding. However, because dosing schedules and protocols varied so widely across the literature, drawing a single clinical roadmap is difficult. Safety also requires caution. While most side effects were mild, some patients experienced serious adverse events including paradoxical alopecia, scarring, and acute dermatitis. The study authors concluded that while injectable therapy, particularly with dutasteride, provides cosmetic benefits, the current evidence is limited by small sample sizes and short follow-up. If you offer these injections, it is wise to frame them to patients as supportive therapies with variable outcomes and to monitor injection sites closely for adverse tissue changes.

Source: Ovid (Dermatologic Surgery), https://doi.org/10.1097/DSS.0000000000004999