Supplementary Material For: The Role Of Fibrosis In Androgenetic Alopecia: Mechanisms And Implications
January 2025
androgenetic alopecia perifollicular fibrosis hair-follicle miniaturization TGF-β/Smad pathway Wnt/β-catenin pathway Notch pathway chronic inflammation perifollicular hyperpigmentation anti-fibrotic strategies anti-androgenic treatments anti-inflammatory treatments anti-fibrotic treatments AGA hair loss fibrosis inflammation
TLDR Combining anti-androgenic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrotic treatments may improve hair loss outcomes, but more testing is needed.
The document discusses the role of fibrosis in androgenetic alopecia (AGA), highlighting how perifollicular fibrosis contributes to hair-follicle miniaturization and hair loss. It emphasizes the inflammatory-fibrotic crosstalk involving TGF-β/Smad, Wnt/β-catenin, and Notch pathways, which disrupts communication necessary for hair regeneration. The review suggests that chronic inflammation leads to fibroblast activation and excessive extracellular matrix deposition around hair follicles. It also notes that dermoscopic features like perifollicular hyperpigmentation may indicate fibrotic burden. The document advocates for anti-fibrotic strategies targeting these pathways and suggests that combining anti-androgenic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrotic treatments could effectively address both hormonal and structural causes of AGA. However, it calls for AGA-specific testing of these anti-fibrotic agents.
