Diazoxide is a prescription medicine that relaxes blood vessels and blocks insulin release; as an oral medication it causes excess hair growth, so applying it to the scalp has been proposed to regrow hair. The idea is plausible but has almost no human evidence: it thickened scalp hair in balding monkeys, yet no published study in people exists. The evidence shows neither benefit nor safety for human scalp use. (Full Review)
| Marker | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fasting plasma glucose | 70–99 mg/dL | Insulin release is suppressed; a rise means stopping or reducing |
| Glycated haemoglobin | 4.0–5.6% | Catches a sustained glucose rise that single readings miss |
| Serum uric acid | 3.5–7.2 mg/dL | Diazoxide raises uric acid and can provoke gout |
| Full blood count with differential | Neutrophils 1.5–8.0 ×10⁹/L; platelets 150–400 ×10⁹/L | Falling white-cell and platelet counts are recognised and silent |
| Estimated glomerular filtration rate (with creatinine) | ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m² | Impaired clearance raises free drug levels |
| Serum albumin | 3.5–5.0 g/dL | Low albumin raises the active free fraction |
| Seated blood pressure | Change from own baseline | The molecule widens blood vessels and lowers blood pressure |
| Body weight | Change from own baseline | Rapid gain signals fluid retention that precedes heart failure |
| Standardised scalp photograph and fixed-site hair count | Change from own baseline images and counts | The only direct read on whether hair responds |
Cadence: Full baseline set first; weight weekly in month one; blood pressure and fasting glucose at 2 and 4 weeks; glucose, glycated haemoglobin, uric acid and blood count at 3 months, then every 6 months; photographs at 3, 6 and 12 months. Blood pressure before and 2 h after application.