September 201421
5α-Reductase inhibitors for pattern hair loss were found to carry uncommon, usually resolving sexual side effects, though evidence for permanent effects rests on low-quality studies and persistence is poorly defined. A treatment review recommended combining finasteride with minoxidil for additive effect and pairing medical therapy with transplantation. 5% minoxidil foam in men was found to grow hair in frontal and vertex scalp alike. Low-level laser devices showed mixed early trial results, with few trials overall. Frontal plus vertex baldness at 45 was linked to higher risk of aggressive prostate cancer. Robotic follicular extraction in Koreans achieved a 95% harvest yield. Hairs in pattern hair loss were found to grow slower than equally thick hairs in healthy controls.
- 5α-Reductase inhibitors in androgenetic alopecia A review concludes sexual side effects from 5-alpha reductase inhibitors are uncommon and usually resolve, but evidence for permanent effects rests only on low-quality studies, so persistence is not well defined.
- Low-level laser/light therapy for androgenetic alopecia. A review finds low-level laser devices, including a new hands-free helmet, show mixed early trial results for pattern hair loss, with few trials overall.
- Similar response patterns to topical minoxidil foam 5% in frontal and vertex scalp of men with androgenetic alopecia: a microarray analysis In a 16-man placebo-controlled pilot, 5% minoxidil foam grew hair in both frontal and vertex scalp, with similar gene-expression changes in both regions.
- A Review of Medical and Surgical Treatment Options for Androgenetic Alopecia A review recommends combining finasteride and minoxidil for an additive effect and using medical treatment alongside hair transplantation for best results.
- Testing Chemotherapeutic Agents in the Feather Follicle Identifies a Selective Blockade of Cell Proliferation and a Key Role for Sonic Hedgehog Signaling in Chemotherapy-Induced Tissue Damage In feathers and mouse follicles, some chemotherapy drugs blocked cell proliferation via sonic hedgehog signaling, revealing a possible target against chemo-induced hair loss.
- Relationship Between Male Pattern Baldness and the Risk of Aggressive Prostate Cancer: An Analysis of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial In a 39,070-man cohort, frontal plus moderate vertex baldness at age 45 was linked to a 39% higher risk of aggressive prostate cancer.
- Characteristics of robotically harvested hair follicles in Koreans In 22 Korean patients, robotic follicular unit extraction achieved a 95% harvest yield and 4.9% transection rate, higher in multi-hair units.
- Inhibiting Janus kinases to treat alopecia areata A commentary highlights research showing JAK-signaling T cells drive alopecia areata and that JAK inhibitors may treat it.
- Why care about Linear Hair Growth Rates (LHGR)? A study using in vivo imaging and computer assisted image analysis after manual processing (CAIAMP) in unaffected male controls and men with male pattern hair loss (MPHL) In a study of 100 men, hairs in pattern hair loss grow significantly slower than equally thick hairs in healthy controls, and slower in more severe patterns.
- Platycarya strobilacea S. et Z. Extract Has a High Antioxidant Capacity and Exhibits Hair Growth-promoting Effects in Male C57BL/6 Mice In mice, topical Platycarya strobilacea extract promoted hair growth comparably to minoxidil, raising growth cytokines and reducing mast cells.
- A Mathematical Proof of How the Outgrowth Angle of Hair Follicles Influences the Injury to the Donor Area in FUE Harvesting a mathematical proof examines how hair follicle outgrowth angle affects donor-area injury during FUE harvesting.
- Impaired Hair Growth and Wound Healing in Mice Lacking Thyroid Hormone Receptors In mice lacking thyroid hormone receptors, hair cycling and wound healing were impaired, suggesting thyroid receptors support skin homeostasis.
- Mycophenolate Antagonizes IFN-γ-Induced Catagen-Like Changes via β-Catenin Activation in Human Dermal Papilla Cells and Hair Follicles In cultured human hair follicle cells, mycophenolate countered IFN-gamma-induced catagen-like changes by stabilizing beta-catenin signaling.
- Getting to the root of hair loss in alopecia a commentary exploring the roots of hair loss in alopecia.
- Risk Factors and Characterization of Vitiligo and Alopecia Areata in Patients With Chronic Graft-vs-Host Disease In 282 graft-vs-host disease patients, female donors and donor-recipient sex mismatch were linked to developing vitiligo or alopecia areata.
- Erbium–Yttrium–Aluminum–Garnet Laser Irradiation Ameliorates Skin Permeation and Follicular Delivery of Antialopecia Drugs In mouse and pig skin, Er-YAG laser pretreatment boosted skin and follicular delivery of minoxidil and other alopecia drugs up to ninefold.
- Diagnostic Usefulness of a Peribulbar Eosinophilic Infiltrate in Alopecia Areata In 162 alopecia areata biopsies, eosinophils around hair bulbs were uncommon, especially in chronic disease, limiting their diagnostic usefulness.
- Clinical observations in alopecia areata: Implications and hypotheses Clinical observations describe patterns of onset, regrowth and relapse in alopecia areata and propose possible mechanisms.
- [Association between androgenetic alopecia and metabolic syndrome: a meta-analysis]. A meta-analysis of six studies finds people with pattern hair loss have 2.7-fold higher odds of metabolic syndrome, suggesting they may warrant screening.
- Delivery and targeting of nanoparticles into hair follicles A review describes how drug-loaded nanoparticles can target hair follicles, offering potential improved delivery for alopecia and acne treatments.
- Patient satisfaction following the use of a hair fiber filler product to temporarily increase the thickness and fullness of thinning hair.