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Female Pattern Hair Loss — SCE Dermatology MCQ

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HardHair DisordersFemale Pattern Hair LossSCE Dermatology

A woman has gradually progressive non-scarring central scalp thinning with a widened part and preserved frontal hairline. Which first-line medicine has the best-established role when treatment is desired?

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Correct answer: C — Topical minoxidil used continuously with counselling about early shedding

The best answer is “Topical minoxidil used continuously with counselling about early shedding”. Topical minoxidil is the established first-line pharmacological option for female-pattern hair loss. Benefit requires continued use, an initial shedding phase may occur, and pregnancy status and adverse effects require discussion. The alternatives “Oral terbinafine after confirming a dermatophyte infection”, “Intralesional corticosteroid for a rapidly expanding alopecia-areata patch”, “Oral hydroxychloroquine for biopsy-confirmed scarring frontal alopecia”, “Hair transplantation before documenting stability or medical response” are clinically adjacent possibilities, but they do not fit the defining morphology, distribution, histopathology, risk signal or management sequence in this stem.

Reference: British Association of Dermatologists clinical resources: https://www.bad.org.uk/