Circulatory Changes in Alopecia
November 1961
in “
Archives of Dermatology
”
TLDR The document suggests that the traditional understanding of hair growth cycles and alopecia may be inaccurate and that blood supply plays a significant role in hair growth and loss.
The document examines the relationship between hair growth, hair loss, and blood supply to hair follicles, highlighting Dr. Cormia's improved technique using toluidine blue staining alongside alkaline phosphatase reaction to better visualize the vasculature. It questions the accuracy of the commonly cited 1,000-day hair growth cycle, suggesting it may be too short, and notes that losing fewer than 100 hairs per day is normal. Additionally, it discusses the link between the growth activity of hair follicles and skin, and the possibility of a single vessel supplying both growing and resting hairs. The document also includes Dr. Epstein's challenge to the belief that alopecia areata does not occur in individuals with gray hair, citing a case of a 48-year-old man with gray hair who developed the condition.
