Hair Loss Treatment

J Am Acad Dermatol. 1999 Oct;41(4):550-4.

The effects of finasteride on scalp skin and serum androgen levels in men with androgenetic alopecia (pattern Hair Loss).
Drake L, et al

BACKGROUND: Data suggest that androgenetic alopecia is a process dependent on dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and type 2 5alpha-reductase. Finasteride is a type 2 5alpha-reductase inhibitor that has been shown to slow further hair loss and improve hair growth in men with androgenetic alopecia. OBJECTIVE: We attempted to determine the effect of finasteride on scalp skin and serum androgens. METHODS: Men with androgenetic alopecia (N = 249) underwent scalp biopsies before and after receiving 0.01, 0.05, 0.2, 1, or 5 mg daily of finasteride or placebo for 42 days. RESULTS: Scalp skin DHT levels declined significantly by 13.0% with placebo and by 14.9%, 61.6%, 56. 5%, 64.1%, and 69.4% with 0.01, 0.05, 0.2, 1, and 5 mg doses of finasteride, respectively. Serum DHT levels declined significantly by 49.5%, 68.6%, 71.4%, and 72.2% in the 0.05, 0.2, 1, and 5 mg finasteride treatment groups, respectively. CONCLUSION: In this study, doses of finasteride as low as 0.2 mg per day maximally decreased both scalp skin and serum DHT levels. These data support the rationale used to conduct clinical trials in men with male pattern hair loss at doses of finasteride between 0.2 and 5 mg.

Nippon Rinsho. 2008 May;66(5):892-6.

Hair follicle regeneration

Itami S.

Hair growth cycle is coordinated with complex processes that are dependent on the interactions of follicular stem cells and dermal papilla cells (DPCs). For the past 10 years, the developmental mechanism of hair follicles has been extensively studied, and spatial and temporal expressions of many molecules are required for the hair morphogenesis. These molecules are also required for hair cycle progression. Androgen receptor, which is a ligand dependent transcription factor, plays an important role in human hair cycle. Frontal scalp DPCs from androgenetic alopecia (AGA) are the target cells of androgen action. Minoxidil and Finasteride were recently introduced for the treatment of AGA, and cell therapy using DPCs is a next strategy for the innovative treatment.

Hair Loss treatment Blog

Hair Loss Treatment Blog

Pediatr Dermatol. 2008 Nov-Dec;25(6):644-6.

Diffuse nonscarring alopecia of scalp: an indicator of early infantile scurvy?
Ragunatha S, Inamadar AC, Palit A, Sampagavi VV, Deshmukh NS.

An infant with diffuse nonscarring alopecia of scalp and radiologic features of scurvy responded dramatically to oral vitamin C therapy. The characteristic cutaneous manifestations of scurvy are usually not seen in infancy. The manifestations of initial stage of scurvy that are not related to collagen synthesis, as in the present case, should alert to the possibility of this potentially fatal condition.

Hautarzt. 1977 Mar;28(3):136-9.

Significance of hair root status method

Braun-Falco O, Heilgemeir GP

The significance of proposition of the hair root status method is reported. The percentage composition of the hair root patterns of neighboring areas of the capillitium and the behavior of the percentage of the individual hair root shapes were examined at time zero and four weeks later. These examinations were carried out in the frontal, parietal and occipital regions of each of 10 male test persons with clinically normal hair growth and statistically evaluated by means of the multi-variate Hotelling T2 test [8]. The hair root pattern of neighboring areas is the same within the different regions of the capillitium (p less than 0.05). Thus the hair root patterns investigated in the different regions of the capillitium are representative of this respective region. The hair root patterns of males with clinically normal hair growth (for the frontal, parietal and occipital region) does not differ with time (p less than 0.05). Therefore, examination of the hair root pattern at four week intervals can be used for controlling the hair growth capacity and therapeutic effects. The significance of the hair root status method for controlling therapeutic effects may be relative small in the individual case in a person with normal hair growth, but useful when evaluated in a collective of subjects.

Cleve Clin J Med. 2008 Aug;75(8):567-8.

Sudden hair loss associated with trachyonychia.

Vañó-Galván S, Aboín S, Beà-Ardebol S, Sánchez-Mateos JL.

Department of Dermatology, Ramón y Cajal Hospital, University of Alcalá, Madrid,
Spain.

Related Links

Trachyonychia associated with alopecia areata: a clinical and pathologic study. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1991]

[Alopecia areata in children] [Tijdschr Kindergeneeskd. 1987]

Alopecia areata. [Int J Dermatol. 1985]

Alopecia areata: pathogenesis and treatment. [J Am Acad Dermatol. 1984]

Is trachyonychia, a variety of alopecia areata, limited to the nails? [J Invest Dermatol. 1995] PMID:7738383

J Cosmet Sci. 2007 Mar-Apr;58(2):135-45.

Effect of oil films on moisture vapor absorption on human hair.

Keis K, Huemmer CL, Kamath YK.

TRI/Princeton, Box 625, Princeton, NJ 08542, USA.

In this paper sorption and desorption of water vapor on hair fibers treated with various oils is investigated, using a dynamic vapor sorption (DVS) apparatus. Results show lower "equilibrium" sorption of moisture for various oil-treated samples compared to the untreated sample. Coconut oil-treated hair had a higher regain than mineral oil-treated hair. Although treating the hair samples with oil reduced moisture pickup, a considerable amount of moisture vapor was still able to penetrate into hair fibers. Calculated hysteresis plots show that the samples treated with different oils have slightly higher moisture retention at low relative humidities compared to that of the untreated sample, which suggests a beneficial effect. The calculated moisture diffusion coefficients for oil-treated samples were much lower compared to the untreated hair fibers, suggesting that surface oil films and penetrated oil molecules form a diffusion barrier. A moisture diffusion model is discussed in terms of the possible role of fiber swelling on restrictive narrowing of the cell membrane complexes (CMCs), which from the diffusion pathways in the fiber. The effect of film thickness on moisture absorption and the reverting of the sorption isotherm to that of the untreated hair after removal of the oil film shows that oil film is the main resistance to moisture diffusion. The lowering of the diffusion coefficient of water vapor by oil films will slow the loss of moisture, an effect similar to "moisturization" of hair.