Pattern hair loss | |
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Other names | Male pattern baldness; female pattern baldness; androgenic alopecia; androgenetic alopecia; alopecia androgenetica |
Male-pattern hair loss shown on the vertex of the scalp | |
Specialty | Dermatology, plastic surgery |
Pattern hair loss (also known as androgenetic alopecia (AGA) [1] ) is a hair loss condition that primarily affects the top and front of the scalp. [2] [3] In male-pattern hair loss (MPHL), the hair loss typically presents itself as either a receding front hairline, loss of hair on the crown and vertex of the scalp, or a combination of both. Female-pattern hair loss (FPHL) typically presents as a diffuse thinning of the hair across the entire scalp. [3]
Genetic research has identified alleles associated with male pattern hair loss. [4] These alleles appear to be undergoing positive sexual selection in European and East Asian populations, as male pattern baldness may be seen as a masculine attribute associated with seniority and higher social status. [4] [ citation needed ] The condition is caused by a combination of male sex hormones (balding never occurs in castrated men) and genetic factors. [5]
Some research has found evidence for the role of oxidative stress in hair loss, [6] the microbiome of the scalp, [7] [8] genetics, and circulating androgens; particularly dihydrotestosterone (DHT). [3] Men with early onset androgenic alopecia (before the age of 35) have been deemed the male phenotypic equivalent for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). [9] [10] [11] [12]
The cause in female pattern hair loss remains unclear; [3] androgenetic alopecia for women is associated with an increased risk of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). [13] [14] [15]
Management may include simply accepting the condition [3] or shaving one's head to improve the aesthetic aspect of the condition. [16] Otherwise, common medical treatments include minoxidil, finasteride, dutasteride, or hair transplant surgery. [3] Use of finasteride and dutasteride in women is not well-studied and may result in birth defects if taken during pregnancy. [3]
By the age of 50, pattern hair loss affects about half of males and a quarter of females. [3] It is the most common cause of hair loss. Both males aged 40–91 [17] and younger male patients of early onset AGA (before the age of 35), had a higher likelihood of metabolic syndrome (MetS) [18] [19] [20] [21] and insulin resistance. [22] With younger males, studies found metabolic syndrome to be at approximately a 4× increased frequency which is clinically deemed significant. [23] [24] Abdominal obesity, hypertension and lowered high density lipoprotein were also significantly higher for younger groups. [25]
Pattern hair loss is classified as a form of non-scarring hair loss.[ citation needed ]
Male-pattern hair loss begins above the temples and at the vertex (calvaria) of the scalp. As it progresses, a rim of hair at the sides and rear of the head remains. This has been referred to as a "Hippocratic wreath", and rarely progresses to complete baldness. [26]
Female-pattern hair loss more often causes diffuse thinning without hairline recession; similar to its male counterpart, female androgenic alopecia rarely leads to total hair loss. [27] The Ludwig scale grades severity of female-pattern hair loss. These include Grades 1, 2, 3 of balding in women based on their scalp showing in the front due to thinning of hair. [28]
In most cases, receding hairline is the first starting point; the hairline starts moving backwards from the front of the head and the sides. [29]
The cause of pattern hair loss is not yet fully understood. It appears to be the result of genetic changes that make the activity of hair follicles on the scalp become sensitive to the presence of androgenic hormones, cholesterol, and proteins such as insulin-like growth factor.[ citation needed ]
KRT37 is the only keratin that is regulated by androgens. [30] This sensitivity to androgens was acquired by Homo sapiens and is not shared with their great ape cousins. Although Winter et al. found that KRT37 is expressed in all the hair follices of chimpanzees, it was not detected in the head hair of modern humans. As androgens are known to grow hair on the body, but decrease it on the scalp, this lack of scalp KRT37 may help explain the paradoxical nature of Androgenic alopecia as well as the fact that head hair anagen cycles are extremely long. [30]
Male-pattern hair loss appears to be undergoing positive sexual selection in European and Asian populations. [4] Male pattern hair loss may be seen as an expression of masculine sexual dimorphism rather than a disorder. Because of this, it is hypothesized that men with male pattern hair loss may be favored by heterosexual women as mates, because their hair loss is associated with seniority and higher social ranking, giving them increased sexual capital. [4] This is similar to the white stripe seen on male silver-back gorillas, associated with their advanced age and higher social ranking. [4] The genetic evidence did not support this hypothesis in African populations, suggesting that within Africa, the evolutionary pressure for scalp hair (to protect against harsh sunlight) outweighed the selective benefits of male pattern hair loss. [4]
Although it is generally accepted that male pattern baldness follows a pattern of autosomal dominant inheritance, more recent research has shown that approximately 80% of bald men have bald fathers. This is greater than would be expected if pattern balding were a purely autosomal trait, and may suggest that there is an important paternal route of inheritance, either through a Y-chromosome gene or a paternal imprinting effect. [31]
The initial programming of pilosebaceous units of hair follicles begins in utero. [32] The physiology is primarily androgenic, with dihydrotestosterone (DHT) being the major contributor at the dermal papillae. Men with premature androgenic alopecia tend to have lower than normal values of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone, and epitestosterone when compared to men without pattern hair loss. [12] Although hair follicles were previously thought to be permanently gone in areas of complete hair loss, they are more likely dormant, as recent studies have shown the scalp contains the stem cell progenitor cells from which the follicles arose. [33] [34] [ non-primary source needed ]
Transgenic studies have shown that growth and dormancy of hair follicles are related to the activity of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) at the dermal papillae, which is affected by DHT. Androgens are important in male sexual development around birth and at puberty. They regulate sebaceous glands, apocrine hair growth, and libido. With increasing age, androgens stimulate hair growth on the face, but can suppress it at the temples and scalp vertex, a condition that has been referred to as the 'androgen paradox'. [35]
Men with androgenic alopecia typically have higher 5α-reductase, higher total testosterone, higher unbound/free testosterone, and higher free androgens, including DHT. [36] 5-alpha-reductase converts free testosterone into DHT, and is highest in the scalp and prostate gland. DHT is most commonly formed at the tissue level by 5α-reduction of testosterone. [37] The genetic corollary that codes for this enzyme has been discovered. [38] Prolactin has also been suggested to have different effects on the hair follicle across gender. [39]
Also, crosstalk occurs between androgens and the Wnt-beta-catenin signaling pathway that leads to hair loss. At the level of the somatic stem cell, androgens promote differentiation of facial hair dermal papillae, but inhibit it at the scalp. [35] Other research suggests the enzyme prostaglandin D2 synthase and its product prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) in hair follicles as contributive. [40]
These observations have led to study at the level of the mesenchymal dermal papillae. [41] Types 1 and 2 5α reductase enzymes are present at pilosebaceous units in papillae of individual hair follicles. [42] They catalyze formation of the androgen dihydrotestosterone from testosterone, which in turn regulate hair growth. [35] Androgens have different effects at different follicles: they stimulate IGF-1 at facial hair, leading to growth, but can also stimulate TGF β1, TGF β2, dickkopf1, and IL-6 at the scalp, leading to catagenic miniaturization. [35] Hair follicles in anaphase express four different caspases. Significant levels of inflammatory infiltrate have been found in transitional hair follicles. [43] Interleukin 1 is suspected to be a cytokine mediator that promotes hair loss. [44]
The fact that hair loss is cumulative with age while androgen levels fall as well as the fact that finasteride does not reverse advanced stages of androgenetic alopecia remains a mystery, but possible explanations are higher conversion of testosterone to DHT locally with age as higher levels of 5-alpha reductase are noted in balding scalp, and higher levels of DNA damage in the dermal papilla as well as senescence of the dermal papilla due to androgen receptor activation and environmental stress. [45]
Multiple cross-sectional studies have found associations between early androgenic alopecia, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome, [46] [47] with low HDL being the component of metabolic syndrome with highest association. [48] Linolenic and linoleic acids, two major dietary sources of HDL, are 5 alpha reductase inhibitors. [49] Premature androgenic alopecia and insulin resistance may be a clinical constellation that represents the male homologue, or phenotype, of polycystic ovary syndrome. [50] Others have found a higher rate of hyperinsulinemia in family members of women with polycystic ovarian syndrome. [51] With early-onset AGA having an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, poorer metabolic profiles are noticed in those with AGA, including metrics for body mass index, waist circumference, fasting glucose, blood lipids, and blood pressure. [52]
In support of the association, finasteride improves glucose metabolism and decreases glycated hemoglobin HbA1c, a surrogate marker for diabetes mellitus. [53] The low SHBG seen with premature androgenic alopecia is also associated with, and likely contributory to, insulin resistance, [54] and for which it still is used as an assay for pediatric diabetes mellitus. [55]
Obesity leads to upregulation of insulin production and decrease in SHBG. Further reinforcing the relationship, SHBG is downregulated by insulin in vitro, although SHBG levels do not appear to affect insulin production. [56] In vivo, insulin stimulates both testosterone production and SHBG inhibition in normal and obese men. [57] The relationship between SHBG and insulin resistance has been known for some time; decades prior, ratios of SHBG and adiponectin were used before glucose to predict insulin resistance. [58] Patients with Laron syndrome, with resultant deficient IGF, demonstrate varying degrees of alopecia and structural defects in hair follicles when examined microscopically. [59]
Because of its association with metabolic syndrome and altered glucose metabolism, both men and women with early androgenic hair loss should be screened for impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus II. [12] Measurement of subcutaneous and visceral adipose stores by MRI, demonstrated inverse association between visceral adipose tissue and testosterone/DHT, while subcutaneous adipose correlated negatively with SHBG and positively with estrogen. [60] SHBG association with fasting blood glucose is most dependent on intrahepatic fat, which can be measured by MRI in and out of phase imaging sequences. Serum indices of hepatic function and surrogate markers for diabetes, previously used, show less correlation with SHBG by comparison. [61]
Female patients with mineralocorticoid resistance present with androgenic alopecia. [62]
IGF levels have been found lower in those with metabolic syndrome. [63] Circulating serum levels of IGF-1 are increased with vertex balding, although this study did not look at mRNA expression at the follicle itself. [64] Locally, IGF is mitogenic at the dermal papillae and promotes elongation of hair follicles. The major site of production of IGF is the liver, although local mRNA expression at hair follicles correlates with increase in hair growth. IGF release is stimulated by growth hormone (GH). Methods of increasing IGF include exercise, hypoglycemia, low fatty acids, deep sleep (stage IV REM), estrogens, and consumption of amino acids such as arginine and leucine. Obesity and hyperglycemia inhibit its release. IGF also circulates in the blood bound to a large protein whose production is also dependent on GH. GH release is dependent on normal thyroid hormone. During the sixth decade of life, GH decreases in production. Because growth hormone is pulsatile and peaks during sleep, serum IGF is used as an index of overall growth hormone secretion. The surge of androgens at puberty drives an accompanying surge in growth hormone. [65]
The expression of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, AGA is related to being an increased risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, glucose metabolism disorders, [66] type 2 diabetes, [67] [68] and enlargement of the prostate. [69]
A number of hormonal changes occur with aging:
This decrease in androgens and androgen receptors, and the increase in SHBG are opposite the increase in androgenic alopecia with aging. This is not intuitive, as testosterone and its peripheral metabolite, DHT, accelerate hair loss, and SHBG is thought to be protective. The ratio of T/SHBG, DHT/SHBG decreases by as much as 80% by age 80, in numeric parallel to hair loss, and approximates the pharmacology of antiandrogens such as finasteride. [72]
Free testosterone decreases in men by age 80 to levels double that of a woman at age 20. About 30% of normal male testosterone level, the approximate level in females, is not enough to induce alopecia; 60%, closer to the amount found in elderly men, is sufficient. [73] The testicular secretion of testosterone perhaps "sets the stage" for androgenic alopecia as a multifactorial diathesis stress model, related to hormonal predisposition, environment, and age. Supplementing eunuchs with testosterone during their second decade, for example, causes slow progression of androgenic alopecia over many years, while testosterone late in life causes rapid hair loss within a month. [74]
An example of premature age effect is Werner's syndrome, a condition of accelerated aging from low-fidelity copying of mRNA. Affected children display premature androgenic alopecia. [75]
Permanent hair-loss is a result of reduction of the number of living hair matrixes. Long-term of insufficiency of nutrition is an important cause for the death of hair matrixes. Misrepair-accumulation aging theory [76] [77] suggests that dermal fibrosis is associated with the progressive hair-loss and hair-whitening in old people. [78] With age, the dermal layer of the skin has progressive deposition of collagen fibers, and this is a result of accumulation of Misrepairs of derma. Fibrosis makes the derma stiff and makes the tissue have increased resistance to the walls of blood vessels. The tissue resistance to arteries will lead to the reduction of blood supply to the local tissue including the papillas. Dermal fibrosis is progressive; thus the insufficiency of nutrition to papillas is permanent. Senile hair-loss and hair-whitening are partially a consequence of the fibrosis of the skin.[ citation needed ]
The diagnosis of androgenic alopecia can be usually established based on clinical presentation in men. In women, the diagnosis usually requires more complex diagnostic evaluation. Further evaluation of the differential requires exclusion of other causes of hair loss, and assessing for the typical progressive hair loss pattern of androgenic alopecia. [79] Trichoscopy can be used for further evaluation. [80] Biopsy may be needed to exclude other causes of hair loss, [81] and histology would demonstrate perifollicular fibrosis. [82] [83] The Hamilton–Norwood scale has been developed to grade androgenic alopecia in males by severity.[ citation needed ]
Combinations of finasteride, minoxidil and ketoconazole are more effective than individual use. [84]
Combination therapy of LLLT or microneedling with finasteride [85] or minoxidil demonstrated substantive increases in hair count. [86]
Finasteride is a medication of the 5α-reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs) class. [87] By inhibiting type II 5-AR, finasteride prevents the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone in various tissues including the scalp. [87] [88] Increased hair on the scalp can be seen within three months of starting finasteride treatment and longer-term studies have demonstrated increased hair on the scalp at 24 and 48 months with continued use. [88] Treatment with finasteride more effectively treats male-pattern hair loss at the crown than male-pattern hair loss at the front of the head and temples. [88]
Dutasteride is a medication in the same class as finasteride but inhibits both type I and type II 5-alpha reductase. [88] Dutasteride is approved for the treatment of male-pattern hair loss in Korea and Japan, but not in the United States. [88] However, it is commonly used off-label to treat male-pattern hair loss. [88]
Minoxidil dilates small blood vessels; it is not clear how this causes hair to grow. [89] Other treatments include tretinoin combined with minoxidil, ketoconazole shampoo, dermarolling (Collagen induction therapy), spironolactone, [90] alfatradiol, topilutamide (fluridil), [87] topical melatonin, [91] [92] [93] and intradermal and intramuscular botulinum toxin injections to the scalp. [94]
There is evidence supporting the use of minoxidil as a safe and effective treatment for female pattern hair loss, and there is no significant difference in efficiency between 2% and 5% formulations. [95] Finasteride was shown to be no more effective than placebo based on low-quality studies. [95] The effectiveness of laser-based therapies is unclear. [95] Bicalutamide, an antiandrogen, is another option for the treatment of female pattern hair loss. [96] [6] [97]
More advanced cases may be resistant or unresponsive to medical therapy and require hair transplantation. Naturally occurring units of one to four hairs, called follicular units, are excised and moved to areas of hair restoration. [90] These follicular units are surgically implanted in the scalp in close proximity and in large numbers. The grafts are obtained from either follicular unit transplantation (FUT) or follicular unit extraction (FUE). In the former, a strip of skin with follicular units is extracted and dissected into individual follicular unit grafts, and in the latter individual hairs are extracted manually or robotically. The surgeon then implants the grafts into small incisions, called recipient sites. [98] [99] Cosmetic scalp tattoos can also mimic the appearance of a short, buzzed haircut.
Low-level laser therapy or photobiomodulation is also referred to as red light therapy and cold laser therapy. It is a non-invasive treatment option.[ citation needed ]
LLLT is shown to increase hair density and growth in both genders. The types of devices (hat, comb, helmet) and duration did not alter the effectiveness, [100] with more emphasis to be placed on lasers compared to LEDs. [101] Ultraviolet and infrared light are more effective for alopecia areata, while red light and infrared light is more effective for androgenetic alopecia. [102]
Medical reviews suggest that LLLT is as effective or potentially more than other non invasive and traditional therapies like minoxidil and finasteride but further studies such as RCTs, long term follow up studies, and larger double blinded trials need to be conducted to confirm the initial findings. [103] [85] [104]
Using ones own cells and tissues and without harsh side effects, PRP is beneficial for alopecia areata [105] and androgenetic alopecia and can be used as an alternative to minoxidil or finasteride. [106] It has been documented to improve hair density and thickness in both genders. [107] A minimum of 3 treatments, once a month for 3 months are recommended, and afterwards a 3-6 month period of continual appointments for maintenance. [108] Factors that determine efficacy include amount of sessions, double versus single centrifugation, age and gender, and where the PRP is inserted. [109]
Future larger randomized controlled trials and other high quality studies are still recommended to be carried out and published for a stronger consensus. [103] [107] [110] Further development of a standardized practice for procedure is also recommended. [105]
Many people use unproven treatments. [111] Regarding female pattern alopecia, there is no evidence for vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. [112] As of 2008, there is little evidence to support the use of lasers to treat male-pattern hair loss. [113] The same applies to special lights. [112] Dietary supplements are not typically recommended. [113] A 2015 review found a growing number of papers in which plant extracts were studied but only one randomized controlled clinical trial, namely a study in 10 people of saw palmetto extract. [114] [115]
A 2023 study on genetically engineered mice published in the journal PNAS found that increasing production of a particular microRNA in hair follicle stem cells, which naturally harden with age, softened the cells and stimulated hair growth. The authors of the study said the next research step is to introduce the microRNA into the stem cells using nanoparticles applied directly to the skin, with the goal of developing a similar topical application for humans. [116]
Androgenic alopecia is typically experienced as a "moderately stressful condition that diminishes body image satisfaction". [117] However, although most men regard baldness as an unwanted and distressing experience, they usually are able to cope and retain integrity of personality. [118]
Although baldness is not as common in women as in men, the psychological effects of hair loss tend to be much greater. Typically, the frontal hairline is preserved, but the density of hair is decreased on all areas of the scalp. Previously, it was believed to be caused by testosterone just as in male baldness, but most women who lose hair have normal testosterone levels. [119]
Female androgenic alopecia has become a growing problem that, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, affects around 30 million women in the United States. Although hair loss in females normally occurs after the age of 50 or even later when it does not follow events like pregnancy, chronic illness, crash diets, and stress among others, it is now occurring at earlier ages with reported cases in women as young as 15 or 16. [120]
For male androgenic alopecia, by the age of 50 30-50% of men have it, hereditarily there is an 80% predisposition. [121] Notably, the link between androgenetic alopecia and metabolic syndrome is strongest in non-obese men. [122]
Studies have been inconsistent across cultures regarding how balding men rate on the attraction scale. While a 2001 South Korean study showed that most people rated balding men as less attractive, [123] a 2002 survey of Welsh women found that they rated bald and gray-haired men quite desirable. [124] One of the proposed social theories for male pattern hair loss is that men who embraced complete baldness by shaving their heads subsequently signaled dominance, high social status, and/or longevity. [16]
Biologists have hypothesized the larger sunlight-exposed area would allow more vitamin D to be synthesized, which might have been a "finely tuned mechanism to prevent prostate cancer" as the malignancy itself is also associated with higher levels of DHT. [125]
Many myths exist regarding the possible causes of baldness and its relationship with one's virility, intelligence, ethnicity, job, social class, wealth, and many other characteristics.[ citation needed ]
Because it increases testosterone levels, many Internet forums[ which? ] have put forward the idea that weight training and other forms of exercise increase hair loss in predisposed individuals. Although scientific studies do support a correlation between exercise and testosterone, no direct study has found a link between exercise and baldness. However, a few have found a relationship between a sedentary life and baldness, suggesting exercise is causally relevant. The type or quantity of exercise may influence hair loss. [126] [127] Testosterone levels are not a good marker of baldness, and many studies actually show paradoxical low testosterone in balding persons, although research on the implications is limited.[ citation needed ]
Emotional stress has been shown to accelerate baldness in genetically susceptible individuals. [128] Stress due to sleep deprivation in military recruits lowered testosterone levels, but is not noted to have affected SHBG. [129] Thus, stress due to sleep deprivation in fit males is unlikely to elevate DHT, which is one cause of male pattern baldness. Whether sleep deprivation can cause hair loss by some other mechanism is not clear.
Levels of free testosterone are strongly linked to libido and DHT levels, but unless free testosterone is virtually nonexistent, levels have not been shown to affect virility. Men with androgenic alopecia are more likely to have a higher baseline of free androgens. However, sexual activity is multifactoral, and androgenic profile is not the only determining factor in baldness. Additionally, because hair loss is progressive and free testosterone declines with age, a male's hairline may be more indicative of his past than his present disposition. [130] [131]
Many misconceptions exist about what can help prevent hair loss, one of these being that lack of sexual activity will automatically prevent hair loss. While a proven direct correlation exists between increased frequency of ejaculation and increased levels of DHT, as shown in a recent study by Harvard Medical School, the study suggests that ejaculation frequency may be a sign, rather than a cause, of higher DHT levels. [132]
The only published study to test correlation between ejaculation frequency and baldness was probably large enough to detect an association (1,390 subjects) and found no correlation, although persons with only vertex androgenetic alopecia had fewer female sexual partners than those of other androgenetic alopecia categories (such as frontal or both frontal and vertex). One study may not be enough, especially in baldness, where there is a complex with age. [133]
Animal models of androgenic alopecia occur naturally and have been developed in transgenic mice; [134] chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes); bald uakaris (Cacajao rubicundus); and stump-tailed macaques (Macaca speciosa and M. arctoides). Of these, macaques have demonstrated the greatest incidence and most prominent degrees of hair loss. [135] [136]
Baldness is not a trait unique to human beings. One possible case study is about a maneless male lion in the Tsavo area. The Tsavo lion prides are unique in that they frequently have only a single male lion with usually seven or eight adult females, as opposed to four females in other lion prides. Male lions may have heightened levels of testosterone, which could explain their reputation for aggression and dominance, indicating that lack of mane may at one time have had an alpha correlation. [137]
Although nonhuman primates do not go bald, their hairlines do undergo recession. In infancy the hairline starts at the top of the supraorbital ridge, but slowly recedes after puberty to create the appearance of a small forehead.[ citation needed ]
Polycystic ovary syndrome, or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. The syndrome is named after cysts which form on the ovaries of some women with this condition, though this is not a universal symptom, and not the underlying cause of the disorder.
Hirsutism is excessive body hair on parts of the body where hair is normally absent or minimal. The word is from early 17th century: from Latin hirsutus meaning "hairy". It usually refers to a male pattern of hair growth in a female that may be a sign of a more serious medical condition, especially if it develops well after puberty. Cultural stigma against hirsutism can cause much psychological distress and social difficulty. Discrimination based on facial hirsutism often leads to the avoidance of social situations and to symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Antiandrogens, also known as androgen antagonists or testosterone blockers, are a class of drugs that prevent androgens like testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) from mediating their biological effects in the body. They act by blocking the androgen receptor (AR) and/or inhibiting or suppressing androgen production. They can be thought of as the functional opposites of AR agonists, for instance androgens and anabolic steroids (AAS) like testosterone, DHT, and nandrolone and selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) like enobosarm. Antiandrogens are one of three types of sex hormone antagonists, the others being antiestrogens and antiprogestogens.
Hair loss, also known as alopecia or baldness, refers to a loss of hair from part of the head or body. Typically at least the head is involved. The severity of hair loss can vary from a small area to the entire body. Inflammation or scarring is not usually present. Hair loss in some people causes psychological distress.
The hair follicle is an organ found in mammalian skin. It resides in the dermal layer of the skin and is made up of 20 different cell types, each with distinct functions. The hair follicle regulates hair growth via a complex interaction between hormones, neuropeptides, and immune cells. This complex interaction induces the hair follicle to produce different types of hair as seen on different parts of the body. For example, terminal hairs grow on the scalp and lanugo hairs are seen covering the bodies of fetuses in the uterus and in some newborn babies. The process of hair growth occurs in distinct sequential stages: anagen is the active growth phase, catagen is the regression of the hair follicle phase, telogen is the resting stage, exogen is the active shedding of hair phase and kenogen is the phase between the empty hair follicle and the growth of new hair.
Dihydrotestosterone is an endogenous androgen sex steroid and hormone primarily involved in the growth and repair of the prostate and the penis, as well as the production of sebum and body hair composition.
Hyperandrogenism is a medical condition characterized by high levels of androgens. It is more common in women than men. Symptoms of hyperandrogenism may include acne, seborrhea, hair loss on the scalp, increased body or facial hair, and infrequent or absent menstruation. Complications may include high blood cholesterol and diabetes. It occurs in approximately 5% of women of reproductive age.
Finasteride, sold under the brand names Proscar and Propecia among others, is a medication used to treat pattern hair loss and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men. It can also be used to treat excessive hair growth in women. It is usually taken orally but there are topical formulations for patients with hair loss, designed to minimize systemic exposure by acting specifically on hair follicles.
5α-Reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs), also known as dihydrotestosterone (DHT) blockers, are a class of medications with antiandrogenic effects which are used primarily in the treatment of enlarged prostate and scalp hair loss. They are also sometimes used to treat excess hair growth in women and as a component of hormone therapy for transgender women.
The management of hair loss, includes prevention and treatment of alopecia, baldness, and hair thinning, and regrowth of hair.
Dutasteride, sold under the brand name Avodart among others, is a medication primarily used to treat the symptoms of a benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), an enlarged prostate not associated with cancer. A few months may be required before benefits occur. It is also used for scalp hair loss in men and as a part of hormone therapy in transgender women. It is usually taken by mouth.
Testosterone enanthate is an androgen and anabolic steroid (AAS) medication which is used mainly in the treatment of low testosterone levels in men. It is also used in hormone therapy for women and transsexual men. It is given by injection into muscle or subcutaneously usually once every one to four weeks.
Mesterolone, sold under the brand name Proviron among others, is an androgen and anabolic steroid (AAS) medication which is used mainly in the treatment of low testosterone levels. It has also been used to treat male infertility, although this use is controversial. It is taken by mouth.
Masculinizing hormone therapy, also known as transmasculine hormone therapy or female-to-male hormone therapy, is a form of hormone therapy and gender affirming therapy which is used to change the secondary sexual characteristics of transgender people from feminine or androgynous to masculine. It is a common type of transgender hormone therapy, and is predominantly used to treat transgender men and other transmasculine individuals who were assigned female at birth. Some intersex people also receive this form of therapy, either starting in childhood to confirm the assigned sex or later if the assignment proves to be incorrect.
Non scarring hair loss, also known as noncicatricial alopecia is the loss of hair without any scarring being present. There is typically little inflammation and irritation, but hair loss is significant. This is in contrast to scarring hair loss during which hair follicles are replaced with scar tissue as a result of inflammation. Hair loss may be spread throughout the scalp (diffuse) or at certain spots (focal). The loss may be sudden or gradual with accompanying stress.
Alfatradiol, also known as 17α-estradiol and sold under the brand names Avicis, Avixis, Ell-Cranell Alpha, and Pantostin, is a weak estrogen and 5α-reductase inhibitor medication which is used topically in the treatment of pattern hair loss in men and women. It is a stereoisomer of the endogenous steroid hormone and estrogen 17β-estradiol.
Topilutamide, known more commonly as fluridil and sold under the brand name Eucapil, is an antiandrogen medication which is used in the treatment of pattern hair loss in men and women. It is used as a topical medication and is applied to the scalp. Topilutamide belongs to a class of molecules known as perfluoroacylamido-arylpropanamides.
5α-Dihydronandrolone is a naturally occurring anabolic–androgenic steroid (AAS) and a 5α-reduced derivative of nandrolone (19-nortestosterone). It is a major metabolite of nandrolone and is formed from it by the actions of the enzyme 5α-reductase analogously to the formation of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) from testosterone.
The HAIR-AN syndrome is a rare subtype of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) characterized by hyperandrogenism (HA), insulin resistance (IR) and acanthosis nigricans (AN). The symptoms of the HAIR-AN syndrome are largely due to severe insulin resistance, which can be secondary to blocking antibodies against the insulin receptor or genetically absent/reduced insulin receptor number/function. Insulin resistance leads to hyperinsulinemia which, in turn, leads to an excess production of androgen hormones by the ovaries. High levels of androgen hormones (hyperandrogenism) in females causes excessive hair growth, acne and irregular menstruation. Patients with both underlying mechanisms of insulin resistance may have more severe hyperandrogenism. Insulin resistance is also associated with diabetes, heart disease and excessive darkening of the skin
MK-386, also known as 4,7β-dimethyl-4-aza-5α-cholestan-3-one, is a synthetic, steroidal 5α-reductase inhibitor which was first reported in 1994 and was never marketed. It is a 4-azasteroid and a potent and selective inhibitor of 5α-reductase type I and shows high selectivity for inhibition of human 5α-reductase type I over 5α-reductase type II, with IC50 values of 0.9 nM and 154 nM, respectively. The drug was under investigation for potential treatment of androgen-dependent conditions such as acne and pattern hair loss (androgenic alopecia or baldness), but was discontinued in early clinical trials due to observations of hepatotoxicity such as elevated liver enzymes.
The European AGA risk alleles, however, are fixed in the East Asian sample (including 57K) and their frequencies therefore do not correlate with the AGA frequencies. As AGA might be regarded as a secondary sexual characteristic, rather than a disorder, it is possible that the hair loss itself was under enhanced sexual selection by identifying the older male leader comparable to the silver-backed gorilla (Randall 2007). The reported lower prevalence of AGA in Africans might then be explained by the importance of scalp hair for the protection against the tropical sun which outweighed the enhanced sexual selection (Randall 2007). Since the causative variant has not yet been identified, the lower prevalence of AGA in Asia and presumably in Africa might indicate a higher frequency of the functional AGA allele in the European population, either due to its origin on a Europe-specific background or differences in population demography. Alleles of 21 SNPs between AR and EDA2R are more frequent in Europeans than in East Asians and Africans (Supplementary Table 1).
Male pattern baldness is androgen dependent, since it does not occur in castrates, unless they are given testosterone (Hamilton 1942), nor in XY individuals with androgen insensitivity due to non-functional androgen receptors (see Chapter 3). The genetic involvement in androgenetic alopecia is also pronounced.
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