Alpha-1 Adrenergic Receptor Agonist Induced Piloerection Protects Against the Development of Traction Alopecia

The document reports on a study investigating the use of a selective α₁-adrenergic receptor (α₁-AR) agonist, phenylephrine, to prevent traction alopecia, which is hair loss caused by persistent pulling on the hair roots. The study involved female subjects aged 18-40 and examined the effect of topically applied phenylephrine on the force required to pluck hair and on hair shedding during cosmetic procedures. The results showed that 80% of subjects experienced reduced hair shedding when using phenylephrine compared to a placebo, with an average reduction in hair loss of approximately 42%. Additionally, the force threshold required for hair plucking increased by about 172% after applying phenylephrine. This study, which is the first of its kind, suggests that α₁-AR agonists like phenylephrine could be useful in treating traction alopecia and reducing hair shedding during cosmetic procedures.