October 202354
A meta-analysis found stem cell–derived conditioned medium increased hair density and thickness across ten trials. Combining topical minoxidil and finasteride beat either alone for hair density in a randomized trial, and cetosomal minoxidil 5% matched alcohol-based minoxidil with fewer adverse events in Indian men. Low-dose oral minoxidil was not associated with clinically significant blood-pressure changes in a retrospective study. Hair transplantation combined with PRP gave smaller hair-loss areas and higher regeneration scores than transplantation alone. Post-transplant folliculitis occurred in 12% of patients, with summer surgery and high graft counts as risk factors. Temporary recipient-site effluvium after FUE was far more common in women. Adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction increased hair density and diameter in a systematic review of nine studies.
- Stem cell–derived conditioned medium for alopecia: A systematic review and meta-analysis A meta-analysis of 10 trials found stem cell–derived conditioned medium significantly increased hair density and thickness, with longer treatment working better.
- Low-dose oral minoxidil for androgenetic alopecia is not associated with clinically significant blood-pressure changes: a retrospective study a retrospective study found low-dose oral minoxidil for androgenetic alopecia was not associated with clinically significant blood-pressure changes.
- Comparative Clinical Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Topical 5% Cetosomal Minoxidil and Topical 5% Alcohol-Based Minoxidil Solutions for the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia in Indian Men A randomized trial in 80 Indian men found 5% cetosomal minoxidil had similar efficacy to alcohol-based minoxidil but significantly fewer adverse events (9% vs 41% of patients).
- Efficacy of the association of topical minoxidil and topical finasteride compared to their use in monotherapy in men with androgenetic alopecia: A prospective, randomized, controlled, assessor blinded, 3‐arm, pilot trial A 42-man randomized trial found combining 5% topical minoxidil with 0.25% topical finasteride gave significantly better hair density and global scores than either alone, with comparable tolerability.
- Application of hair transplantation combined with platelet-rich plasma injection for the treatment of androgenic alopecia In 147 patients, hair transplantation combined with PRP injections gave smaller hair-loss areas and higher hair regeneration scores than transplantation alone.
- Characterization and Risk Factors of Folliculitis after Hair Transplantation: A Multicenter Retrospective Study In 1317 hair transplant patients, postoperative folliculitis occurred in 12%, with summer surgery, high graft counts and density, and delayed washing as risk factors.
- A Cross-Sectional Study on Post-Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Hair Loss at a Tertiary Care Hospital In 120 patients, post-COVID hair loss began on average 49 days after infection, was mostly diffuse and severe, and trichoscopy often revealed hidden pattern hair loss.
- A new technique for combining both Follicular Unit Excision (FUE) and Linear Strip Harvesting to optimize graft yield: FUE-Linear Ellipse (FUE-LE) A surgical review describes combining FUE with strip harvesting (FUE-LE) to increase lifetime graft yield and limit donor depletion in advanced hair loss.
- <i>Akkermansia muciniphila</i> promotes testosterone‐mediated hair growth inhibition in mice In mice, oral live or pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila reversed testosterone-induced hair growth inhibition via growth factors and β-catenin.
- Medical Treatment for Androgenetic Alopecia A review covering standard AGA treatments (minoxidil, finasteride, dutasteride, transplant) and novel options like PRP, stem cells, exosomes, and lasers.
- Adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction (SVF) for the treatment of androgenic alopecia (AGA): a systematic review. A systematic review of nine studies found adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction increased hair density and diameter in AGA, with no serious adverse events but no standardized protocol.
- The development and validation of the hair shedding visual scale for Asian women (HSVS‐A) A new visual hair-shedding scale for Asian women reliably distinguished healthy women from those with female pattern hair loss or telogen effluvium.
- Treatments for Moderate-to-Severe Alopecia Areata: A Systematic Narrative Review A systematic review found the strongest evidence for baricitinib and other JAK inhibitors in moderate-to-severe alopecia areata; other treatments showed low, often temporary regrowth.
- Effectiveness and safety of baricitinib in patients with severe alopecia areata: a 36-week multicenter real-world experience A 36-week multicenter real-world study of baricitinib effectiveness and safety in severe alopecia areata.
- Nitric oxide synergizes minoxidil delivered by transdermal hyaluronic acid liposomes for multimodal androgenetic-alopecia therapy A liposome co-delivering nitric oxide and minoxidil improved skin penetration, reduced inflammation, and regrew hair in an androgenetic alopecia model.
- An Analysis of Risk Factors of Recipient Site Temporary Effluvium After Follicular Unit Excision: A Single-Center Retrospective Study In 621 transplant patients, temporary recipient-site shock loss was far more common in women (OR 30), and in older women with female pattern loss.
- Co-delivery of Minoxidil and Tocopherol acetate Ethosomes to Reshape the Hair FolliculaMicroenvironment and Promote Hair Regeneration in Androgenetic Alopecia In AGA-model mice, a minoxidil-plus-tocopherol ethosome improved follicle microenvironment and hair regeneration versus commercial minoxidil tincture.
- Determination of Scalp Vascular Topography by Laser Doppler Flowmetry and Comparison of Vascular Damage by Different Blades in Hair Transplantation In 12 hair-transplant patients, handmade razor-blade slits caused significantly less vascular tissue damage than sapphire blades.
- Utility of Follicular Unit Excision using Non-Scalp Donor Hair A review explains beard, chest, and abdominal hair can supply thousands of extra grafts when scalp donor hair is insufficient, though technique is demanding.
- The Gut and Skin Microbiome in Alopecia: Associations and Interventions. A review finds gut and scalp microbiome changes are linked to several alopecias, and probiotics or fecal transplants show early potential but need better trials.
- In vitro hair growth‐promoting effect of Lgr5‐binding octapeptide in human primary hair cells In human hair cells, an Lgr5-binding octapeptide activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling and countered DHT-induced inhibition of hair-cell growth in vitro.
- Bioactive Compound-Loaded Nanocarriers for Hair Growth Promotion: Current Status and Future Perspectives A review surveys plant compounds and nanocarrier delivery systems being explored for hair growth promotion.
- Efficacy and Adverse Effects of Corticosteroid Pulse Therapy in Alopecia Areata A review found pulse corticosteroids regrow hair in alopecia areata; betamethasone seems most effective but with more side effects, prednisolone safer.
- The Use of 2D: 4D Digit Ratio as a Predictor of Androgenetic Alopecia: A Review A review examining evidence for the 2D:4D finger-length ratio as a predictor of androgenetic alopecia.
- Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Patients with Androgenetic Alopecia: Could the Monocyte/HDL Ratio Be the Link? A case-control study found macular degeneration far more common in AGA patients (80% vs 20%), linked to higher monocyte/HDL ratio.
- Association between genetically predicted rheumatoid arthritis and alopecia areata: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study A Mendelian randomization study found genetically predicted rheumatoid arthritis modestly raises alopecia areata risk (OR 1.21).
- Local and systemic mechanisms that control the hair follicle stem cell niche
- Gene therapy for alopecia in type II rickets model rats using vitamin D receptor-expressing adenovirus vector In rats lacking the vitamin D receptor, injected VDR gene therapy restored VDR expression and hair growth for about 60 days.
- Physician- and Patient-Reported Severity and Quality of Life Impact of Alopecia Areata: Results from a Real-World Survey in Five European Countries A five-country survey found physician and patient severity ratings usually aligned, with burden rising with severity in alopecia areata.
- Recomendaciones sobre el manejo clínico de la alopecia androgénica: un documento de consenso del Grupo Español de Tricología de la Academia Española de Dermatología y Venereología A Spanish dermatology Delphi consensus agreed on 138 recommendations for managing androgenetic alopecia across drugs, procedures, and transplants.
- Photobiomodulation Facilitates Rat Cutaneous Wound Healing by Promoting Epidermal Stem Cells and Hair Follicle Stem Cells Proliferation In rats, near-infrared photobiomodulation accelerated wound healing by boosting epidermal and hair follicle stem cell proliferation.
- Astragalus membranaceus and Cinnamomum cassia Stimulate the Hair Follicle Differentiation-Related Growth Factor by the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway In mice, an oral astragalus–cinnamon formula promoted hair regrowth and shaft thickness via Wnt/β-catenin signaling.
- The Impact of Androgenic Alopecia on the Quality of Life of Male Individuals: A Cross-Sectional Study In a Saudi survey of 402 men, androgenetic alopecia significantly impaired quality of life, especially in younger, recently diagnosed men.
- Anesthesia Techniques for Harvesting Via Follicular Unit Excision (FUE) A review recommends ring-block local anesthesia with light oral sedation as the standard, comfortable approach for FUE donor harvesting.
- Concepts, Terminology and Innovations in Follicular Unit Excision Hair Restoration A review summarizes standardized FUE terminology, techniques, devices, and donor-zone assessment for hair restoration surgeons.
- Salmon nasal cartilage proteoglycan stimulates hair growth In mice, daily oral salmon cartilage proteoglycan enhanced hair growth and stimulated VEGF in human dermal papilla cells in vitro.
- Treatments for alopecia areata: a network meta-analysis A Cochrane review of 63 trials found evidence for most alopecia areata treatments very uncertain; too few comparable trials for network meta-analysis.
- Effects of oxytocin on the hair growth ability of dermal papilla cells In lab-grown dermal papilla cells and hair follicle organoids, oxytocin boosted growth-factor expression and hair peg–like sprouting.
- Epidemiology of alopecia areata and population-wide comorbidities in Germany: analysis of longitudinal claims data German claims data put alopecia areata prevalence at 210 per 100,000, with regional variation and frequent atopic and autoimmune comorbidities.
- Vellus-to-terminal Hair Follicle Reconversion Occurs in Male Pattern Balding and is Promoted by Minoxidil and Platelet-rich Plasma: In Vivo Evidence from a New Humanized Mouse Model of Androgenetic Alopecia vellus-to-terminal follicle reconversion occurs in male pattern balding and is promoted by minoxidil and PRP in a new humanized mouse model.
- Effects of the Complex of Panicum miliaceum Extract and Triticum aestivum Extract on Hair Condition In cell and mouse studies, a millet-wheat extract boosted growth factors, reduced inflammation and prolonged the anagen growth phase.
- Screening for latent infectious disease in patients with alopecia areata before initiating JAK inhibitors therapy: a single-center real-world retrospective study In 218 alopecia areata patients screened before JAK inhibitors, 17% had signs of tuberculosis and 4.6% hepatitis B, supporting pre-treatment screening.
- Establishing the financial burden of alopecia areata and its predictors A UK survey of 829 people with alopecia areata found they spent on average 3% of disposable income on wigs, products and services.
- Nanotechnology-based techniques for hair follicle regeneration A review surveys nanotechnology strategies for hair follicle targeting and regeneration, noting regulatory hurdles ahead.
- Alopecia areata: What’s new in the epidemiology, comorbidities, and pathogenesis? A review summarizing recent progress in alopecia areata epidemiology, comorbidities, and pathogenesis.
- Targeted immunotherapy for hair regrowth and regeneration A review discusses how targeted immunotherapy could harness immune cells to promote hair regrowth in hair loss disorders.
- Intraoperative Bioprinting of Human Adipose-derived Stem cells and Extra-cellular Matrix Induces Hair Follicle-Like Downgrowths and Adipose Tissue Formation during Full-thickness Craniomaxillofacial Skin Reconstruction In rats, bioprinted adipose matrix and stem cells reconstructed full-thickness skin defects and produced hair follicle–like downgrowths within two weeks.
- Serum Zinc Concentration in Patients with Alopecia Areata Patients with severe alopecia areata had lower serum zinc than controls, and lower zinc correlated with greater disease severity.
- Uncovering the complex relationship between balding, testosterone and skin cancers in men Genetic analysis linked male-pattern baldness to head and neck skin cancers via sun exposure on the scalp, not androgen pathways.
- Considerations and recommendations on camouflage in alopecia in Black women A review advises that wigs, extensions, fibers, and micropigmentation can camouflage hair loss in Black women but adhesives and tension may worsen it.
- Advances in the mechanism and new therapies of alopecia areata
- Efficacy, safety, and Pharmacoeconomics of Three Common Strategies for Pediatric Alopecia Areata Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study A small pediatric cohort found traditional therapy best for new alopecia areata; tofacitinib and microneedling were options for refractory cases.
- Promotion of Hair Regrowth in Androgenetic Alopecia with Supplemented Erzhi Wan: Exploring Its Mechanism Using Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking In AGA-model mice, the herbal formula Supplemented Erzhi Wan enhanced hair regrowth, with PI3K-Akt pathway implicated via network pharmacology.
- Line‐field confocal optical coherence tomography—A new diagnostic method in hair loss associated with folliculitis decalvans