Androgenetic Alopecia

January 2023 in “ Springer eBooks ”

Anna Waśkiel‐Burnat, Lidia Rudnicka

androgenetic alopecia pattern hair loss miniaturization of hair follicles bitemporal recession diffuse thinning trichoscopy topical minoxidil oral minoxidil 5-alpha reductase inhibitors antiandrogen agents Rogaine Propecia

From the encyclopedia

Minoxidil →

An essential vasodilator with some anti-androgenic effects

Finasteride →

Frontline, gold standard treatment for combatting androgenic alopecia

Studysummary Most older adults experience pattern hair loss due to shrinking hair follicles, with men and women showing different balding patterns.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

Androgenetic alopecia, also known as pattern hair loss, is the most prevalent form of hair loss, impacting 73% of men and 57% of women over 80. It's caused by the androgen-dependent progressive miniaturization of hair follicles, leading to different patterns of hair loss in men and women. Men typically experience bitemporal recession of the frontal hairline and diffuse thinning at the vertex, while women show a 'Christmas tree' pattern, central scalp involvement with the sparing of the frontal hairline, or bitemporal recession. Trichoscopy is a useful tool for diagnosing this condition, assessing the severity of hair loss, and tracking the effectiveness of treatments. The primary treatments include topical and oral minoxidil, 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, and antiandrogen agents.

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Research cited in this study

21 / 21 results

research The Effectiveness of Combination Therapies for Androgenetic Alopecia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

11 citations , June 2020 in “Dermatologic Therapy”

This study suggests that combination therapies including minoxidil with either finasteride, low-level laser light therapy, or microneedling are more effective than minoxidil alone for treating androgenetic alopecia.

research Telogen Effluvium: A Review of the Literature

40 citations , May 2020 in “Cureus”

This review discusses the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of telogen effluvium and reports no new clinical findings; the authors underscore the importance of identifying and eliminating causative factors.

research Female Androgenetic Alopecia: An Update on Diagnosis and Management

43 citations , November 2019 in “American Journal of Clinical Dermatology”

This review discusses female androgenetic alopecia, highlighting its diagnostic challenges and management strategies, but it reports no new results.

research Physiopathology and Current Treatments of Androgenetic Alopecia: Going Beyond Androgens and Anti-Androgens

45 citations , August 2019 in “Dermatologic Therapy”

This review discusses the physiopathology of androgenetic alopecia and evaluates various traditional and emerging treatments, reporting no new clinical results but highlighting the need for enhanced treatment strategies.

research Frequency of the Types of Alopecia at Twenty-Two Specialist Hair Clinics: A Multicenter Study

56 citations , January 2019 in “Skin appendage disorders”

In this multicenter study, androgenetic alopecia was the most common type of alopecia among both men and women attending specialty hair clinics on four continents.

research Trichoscopy of Alopecia Areata: An Update

89 citations , March 2018 in “The Journal of Dermatology”

This review presents various trichoscopic findings for diagnosing alopecia areata but reports no new clinical results, emphasizing that no single marker is pathognomonic and multiple features should be considered together.

research Androgenetic Alopecia: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Recommendations of the Polish Dermatological Society

2 citations , January 2018 in “Dermatology Review/Przegląd Dermatologiczny”

Use trichoscopy to diagnose hair loss; treat with minoxidil, finasteride, or dutasteride; consider platelet-rich plasma and spironolactone.

research Female Pattern Hair Loss: A Pilot Study Investigating Combination Therapy with Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil and Spironolactone

80 citations , December 2017 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

This study reported that once-daily treatment with oral minoxidil and spironolactone for 12 months reduced hair loss severity and hair shedding in women with pattern hair loss, with generally mild side effects, though results came from an uncontrolled, observational pilot study.

research Androgenetic Alopecia: A Review

153 citations , March 2017 in “Endocrine”

This review examines recent advances in understanding the pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms of androgenetic alopecia, highlighting two major genetic risk loci, but does not report new clinical findings.

research Dutasteride in Androgenetic Alopecia: An Update

27 citations , March 2017 in “Current Clinical Pharmacology”

In this review, the authors discuss the pharmacology of dutasteride and compare its efficacy to finasteride for treating androgenetic alopecia, highlighting dutasteride's effectiveness demonstrated in several clinical trials.

research Classification and Scoring of Androgenetic Alopecia (Male and Female Pattern)

1 citations , January 2017 in “Springer eBooks”

The document explains how hair loss patterns in men and women, known as Androgenetic alopecia, are classified using the Hamilton-Norwood system for men and the Ludwig grade system for women.

research Female Pattern Hair Loss: A Clinical and Pathophysiological Review

91 citations , August 2015 in “Anais Brasileiros De Dermatologia”

This review discusses the clinical, epidemiological, and pathophysiological aspects of female pattern hair loss, reporting no new research findings.

research Scalp Dermoscopy or Trichoscopy

69 citations , January 2015 in “Current problems in dermatology”

This review discusses trichoscopy as a noninvasive, effective technique for diagnosing various hair loss conditions and monitoring treatment, highlighting its potential to reduce scalp biopsy necessity.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Multicenter Review of 355 Patients

339 citations , February 2014 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

This study found that eyelash loss, facial papules, and body hair involvement were linked to severe frontal fibrosing alopecia, and antiandrogens were the most effective treatment.

research Androgen Actions on the Human Hair Follicle: Perspectives

115 citations , September 2012 in “Experimental Dermatology”

This article reviews the molecular mechanisms involved in androgenetic alopecia and the androgen's paradoxical role in hair growth, but reports no new experimental findings.

research Trichoscopy Update 2011

178 citations , December 2011 in “Journal of Dermatological Case Reports”

This review discusses the application of trichoscopy in diagnosing various hair and scalp diseases and reports no new clinical results; the authors emphasize its role as a non-invasive diagnostic tool.

research Dermoscopy in Female Androgenic Alopecia: Method Standardization and Diagnostic Criteria

129 citations , January 2009 in “International Journal of Trichology”

This study found that trichoscopy criteria can distinguish female androgenic alopecia from chronic telogen effluvium, with specific features achieving 98% diagnostic specificity.

research Minoxidil: Mechanisms of Action on Hair Growth

397 citations , February 2004 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

This article reviews the mechanisms by which minoxidil stimulates hair growth and reports no new clinical findings.

research Lymphocytic Mediated Alopecia: Histological Classification by Pattern Analysis

29 citations , March 2001 in “Clinics in Dermatology”

This article discusses various types of primary cicatricial alopecias and reports no new clinical results; it emphasizes the importance of accurate diagnosis for effective management.

research Fibrosing Alopecia in a Pattern Distribution

158 citations , February 2000 in “Archives of dermatology”

This study reports that some patients with androgenetic alopecia may also exhibit clinical and histological features of inflammation and fibrosis, similar to those found in lichen planopilaris.

research Classification of the Types of Androgenetic Alopecia (Common Baldness) Occurring in the Female Sex

666 citations , September 1977 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

This article presents a classification system for stages of female-pattern androgenetic alopecia to aid early diagnosis and mentions existing systems for rare male-pattern cases, but reports no new clinical results.