April 201821
A randomized trial found sexual side effects with dutasteride in 16% versus 8% on placebo, all mild-to-moderate and reversible, though the sample was small. A 220-man trial found a new 5% minoxidil formulation noninferior to a marketed product. A systematic review reported topical finasteride increases hair counts and lowers scalp DHT, though evidence is preliminary. In women unresponsive to prior treatments, PRP injections increased hair diameter. Another review found PRP studies for alopecia mostly positive but lacking standardized protocols. In breast cancer patients with endocrine therapy-induced alopecia, topical minoxidil produced moderate or significant improvement in most assessed. Ex vivo and in mice, the vasodilator cilostazol promoted hair shaft elongation. In ovariectomized mice, intradermal ANGPT2 restored hair density.
- Prospective randomized study of sexual function in men taking dutasteride for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia In a randomized trial, sexual side effects with dutasteride 0.5 mg occurred in 16% vs 8% on placebo, all mild-to-moderate and reversible; the authors note the small sample size and that events were expected.
- Efficacy and safety of a new 5% minoxidil formulation in male androgenetic alopecia: A randomized, placebo‐controlled, double‐blind, noninferiority study In a 220-man randomized trial, a new cosmetically improved 5% minoxidil formulation was noninferior to a marketed product, adding about 22 hairs/cm2 at 16 weeks with no new safety signals.
- A Systematic Review of Topical Finasteride in the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia in Men and Women. A review of seven studies finds topical finasteride increases hair counts and lowers scalp DHT with no change in serum testosterone, though evidence is still preliminary.
- Platelet‐rich plasma on female androgenetic alopecia: Tested on 10 patients In 10 women with androgenetic alopecia unresponsive to prior treatments, PRP injections significantly increased hair diameter over 24 weeks with no adverse events.
- Evaluating Platelet-Rich Therapy for Facial Aesthetics and Alopecia A systematic review finds most PRP studies report positive results for androgenetic alopecia but protocols vary widely and no standardized method exists.
- iNKT cells ameliorate human autoimmunity: Lessons from alopecia areata In a humanized mouse model of alopecia areata, α-galactosylceramide-activated iNKT cells prevented lesions and promoted hair regrowth via IL-10.
- Regulation of hair follicle development by exosomes derived from dermal papilla cells In mice, dermal papilla cell-derived exosomes accelerated anagen onset and promoted hair follicle growth via beta-catenin and Shh signaling.
- Hair disorders in cancer survivors A review catalogues persistent hair disorders in cancer survivors, including chemotherapy-, radiotherapy-, endocrine- and transplant-related alopecia, and hirsutism.
- Endocrine Therapy–Induced Alopecia in Patients With Breast Cancer In 112 breast cancer patients with endocrine therapy-induced alopecia resembling pattern hair loss, topical minoxidil produced moderate or significant improvement in 80% of those assessed.
- The effect of cilostazol, a phosphodiesterase 3 (PDE3) inhibitor, on human hair growth with the dual promoting mechanisms Cilostazol, a vasodilator, promoted human hair shaft elongation ex vivo and accelerated anagen in mice via growth factor secretion and vessel formation.
- Reversal of the hair loss phenotype by modulating the estradiol-ANGPT2 axis in the mouse model of female pattern hair loss In ovariectomized mice modeling female pattern hair loss, intradermal ANGPT2 restored hair density, identifying an estradiol-driven pathway.
- Stimulation of mouse vibrissal follicle growth by recombinant human fibroblast growth factor 20 In cultured mouse whisker follicles, recombinant human FGF20 dose-dependently stimulated growth via Wnt/beta-catenin signaling.
- Macrophages Promote Wound-Induced Hair Follicle Regeneration in a CX3CR1- and TGF-β1–Dependent Manner In mice, CX3CR1- and TGF-beta1-dependent macrophages are required for wound-induced hair follicle regeneration.
- Hair growth is promoted by BeauTop via expression of EGF and FGF‑7 In mice with induced alopecia, the herbal supplement BeauTop promoted hair growth, increasing EGF and FGF-7 expression.
- Nanoemulsion Vehicles as Carriers for Follicular Delivery of Luteolin A luteolin-loaded nanoemulsion showed hair growth-promoting activity in vivo comparable to luteolin in organic solvent.
- Nail involvement in patients with moderate-to-severe alopecia areata treated with oral tofacitinib In 33 adults with moderate-to-severe alopecia areata, oral tofacitinib improved nail involvement in 11 of 15 affected patients, independent of hair regrowth.
- Hair disorders in patients with cancer A review of hair disorders caused by chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation, and endocrine treatments, covering mechanisms and management strategies.
- Lichen Planopilaris and Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia as Model Epithelial Stem Cell Diseases A review framing lichen planopilaris and frontal fibrosing alopecia as stem cell diseases driven by interferon-gamma and PPAR-gamma pathway disruption.
- Minoxidil for Endocrine Therapy–Induced Alopecia in Women With Breast Cancer—Saint Agatha’s Blessing? commentary on using minoxidil for endocrine therapy-induced alopecia in women with breast cancer.
- Increased prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in patients with alopecia areata: a systematic review and meta‐analysis A meta-analysis of 14 studies found alopecia areata patients have lower vitamin D and nearly fourfold higher odds of deficiency, with high heterogeneity.
- Cicatricial alopecia A review of cicatricial alopecia recommends early diagnosis and anti-inflammatory treatment, noting hair regrowth is not expected in scarred areas.