May 201631
Body-hair FUE transplants to the scalp gave high satisfaction at nearly three years in patients lacking scalp donor hair. Topical minoxidil for female pattern hair loss roughly doubled moderate-to-marked regrowth versus placebo, with 2% and 5% similar. Robotic follicular unit graft selection yielded more hairs per graft and harvest attempt than random harvesting. Platelet-rich plasma for androgenetic alopecia was favoured by preliminary meta-analytic evidence, though controlled trials were called for. FGF-2 nanoparticle scalp solution increased hair diameter in an uncontrolled pilot study.
- Body Hair Transplant by Follicular Unit Extraction: My Experience With 122 Patients In 122 patients, body-hair FUE transplants to the scalp gave high satisfaction (~7.8/10) at nearly 3 years for those lacking scalp donor hair.
- Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma for the Treatment of Pattern Hair Loss Review of platelet-rich plasma for pattern hair loss: growth factors may stimulate follicles, but clinical evidence remains early.
- Interventions for female pattern hair loss Cochrane review of 47 trials: topical minoxidil roughly doubles moderate-to-marked regrowth versus placebo in female pattern hair loss, with 2% and 5% similar.
- Robotic Follicular Unit Graft Selection In 24 hair transplant patients, robotic follicular unit graft selection yielded 11-17% more hairs per graft and harvest attempt than random harvesting in FUE procedures.
- Meta-analysis of efficacy of platelet-rich plasma therapy for androgenetic alopecia Meta-analysis of 13 PRP studies finds preliminary evidence favouring platelet-rich plasma for pattern hair loss, but calls for controlled trials.
- 15-deoxy prostaglandin J2, the nonenzymatic metabolite of prostaglandin D2, induces apoptosis in keratinocytes of human hair follicles: a possible explanation for prostaglandin D2-mediated inhibition of hair growth In cultured human follicles, a prostaglandin D2 metabolite triggers keratinocyte apoptosis, supporting DP2-antagonist drugs for hair loss.
- Understanding autoimmunity of vitiligo and alopecia areata A review describing shared interferon-γ-driven immune pathways in vitiligo and alopecia areata, supporting development of targeted treatments now in early clinical studies.
- Management of hair loss associated with endocrine therapy in patients with breast cancer: an overview Review of breast-cancer endocrine-therapy hair loss: topical 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, vitamin C and omega-3 appear reasonable options.
- Cold thermal injury from cold caps used for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced alopecia Four patients got frostbite from chemo cold caps; injuries were mild-moderate but three had persistent alopecia. True incidence unknown; proper application likely prevents injuries, though long-term risks are unclear.
- Enhanced effect of fibroblast growth factor-2-containing dalteparin/protamine nanoparticles on hair growth In 12 volunteers, twice-daily FGF-2 nanoparticle scalp solution increased hair diameter over 6 months; uncontrolled pilot study.
- Comparative transcriptome profiling provides new insights into mechanisms of androgenetic alopecia progression Study compares gene-expression profiles across stages of pattern hair loss to probe progression mechanisms.
- Endogenous human skin equivalent promotes in vitro morphogenesis of follicle-like structures In lab-grown human skin equivalents, adult skin cells generated follicle-like structures resembling fetal hair follicle development, guided by the endogenous extracellular matrix.
- The Diagnosis and Treatment of Hair and Scalp Diseases Review: hair loss is a symptom, not a diagnosis; different alopecias have distinct causes requiring different treatments.
- Deletion of the epidermis derived laminin γ1 chain leads to defects in the regulation of late hair morphogenesis Mice lacking epidermal laminin-511 showed delayed hair follicle morphogenesis, reduced matrix cell proliferation and impaired hair shaft differentiation, implicating it in late hair development.
- Reflectance confocal microscopy for scarring and non-scarring alopecia real-time assessment In 86 patients, reflectance confocal microscopy distinguished scarring from non-scarring alopecia without biopsy.
- Diagnosis and management of hair loss in children Review of childhood hair loss: history, exam and trichoscopy usually suffice; biopsy rarely needed.
- Assembling Composite Dermal Papilla Spheres with Adipose-derived Stem Cells to Enhance Hair Follicle Induction composite spheres of dermal papilla cells with adipose stem cells built to enhance hair follicle induction.
- Phototherapy for alopecia areata A review describing phototherapy modalities used for alopecia areata, an autoimmune hair-loss condition driven by loss of follicle immune privilege.
- Establishment of a new three‐dimensional human epidermal model reconstructed from plucked hair follicle‐derived keratinocytes Researchers built a three-dimensional epidermal model from plucked hair follicle keratinocytes without serum, biopsy or fibroblasts, mimicking normal human epidermis structure.
- Familial aggregation of alopecia areata A man with alopecia areata universalis regrew hair on tofacitinib, but efficacy quickly waned and shedding returned.
- Local Anesthesia Techniques in Hair Restoration Surgery Review describes local anesthesia techniques to make hair restoration surgery pain-free.
- Cardiovascular risk in patients with alopecia areata (AA): A propensity-matched retrospective analysis In a propensity-matched analysis of 1377 alopecia areata patients, odds of subsequent stroke were lower than controls, with a nonsignificant trend toward lower heart attack risk.
- Apoptosis in follicles of individuals with female pattern hair loss is associated with perifollicular microinflammation Scalp biopsies from 17 women: apoptosis in miniaturized follicles correlates with perifollicular inflammation in female pattern hair loss.
- A novel therapeutic paradigm for patients with extensive alopecia areata Review: emerging targeted therapies (Th2, Th9, PDE4, IL-23) may improve on nonspecific immunosuppressants for extensive alopecia areata.
- Expression of matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases in the hair cycle In mice, matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 peaked during the hair growth phase and fell during regression and rest, suggesting a role in cycling.
- Relation of urinary stone disease with androgenetic alopecia and serum testosterone levels In a 368-man case-control study, urinary stone risk rose with severity of pattern baldness, especially with low testosterone.
- Assessment of vitamin D receptors in alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia In 60 participants, serum and scalp vitamin D receptor levels were lower in alopecia areata and pattern hair loss than controls.
- Systemic causes of hair loss Review outlines seven systemic causes of hair loss and a methodical diagnostic workup.
- ULBP3: a marker for alopecia areata incognita Biopsy study: ULBP3 levels are markedly elevated in alopecia areata incognita, suggesting it as a diagnostic marker.
- Hair and nail adverse events during treatment with targeted therapies for metastatic melanoma In 24 melanoma patients on BRAF/MEK inhibitors, hair kinking, acute shedding and colour changes were common with vemurafenib and dabrafenib, while combination therapy caused no hair changes.
- Illness perception in patients with androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata in China Survey of 342 Chinese patients: negative illness perception predicts depression, anxiety and poorer quality of life in pattern hair loss and alopecia areata.