Female Pattern Hair Loss, Sebum Excretion, and the End-Organ Response to Androgens

October 2005 in “ British Journal of Dermatology ”

M.P. Birch, Hany Lashen, Shyam S. Agarwal, Andrew G. Messenger

female pattern hair loss FPHL sebum excretion androgens end-organ response hair growth nonandrogenic mechanisms hair follicles sebum

TLDR Hair loss in women not always linked to increased oil production; other factors may be involved.

The study aimed to investigate the relationship between female pattern hair loss (FPHL), sebum excretion, and the end-organ response to androgens. The results showed that sebum excretion is not elevated in women with FPHL, indicating that different androgen-response pathways operate in controlling hair growth and sebum excretion. The study suggests that nonandrogenic mechanisms may be involved in mediating hair loss in some women. Another study found that FPHL is associated with increased sebum excretion and a greater response to androgens in the hair follicles, suggesting an increased sensitivity to androgens in the hair follicles of women with FPHL.

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