More Is Not Always Better in Hair Growth Factors: Epidermal Growth Factor Involved in Alopecia Areata Pathogenesis

The 2020 study "More is not always better in hair growth factors. epidermal growth factor: hair growth factor involved in alopecia areata pathogenesis" investigated the role of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) in alopecia areata (AA), a condition causing hair loss. The case-control study involved 60 patients with AA and 25 healthy controls. The results showed that while EGF is crucial for hair growth, an excess of it can lead to hair loss. Specifically, the mean serum EGF was significantly higher in patients than in controls, and even higher in patients with disease duration over 1 month, high recurrence, and severe cases of AA. The highest level of EGF was found in severe cases of hair loss (S4, 75%-99% hair loss) with a level of 221.8 ± 16.8 ng/ml. These findings suggest that EGF could potentially be a target for future treatments of AA and used as a marker of severity, prognosis, and recurrence in hair loss conditions.