Changes in Hair: Causative Factors

The document discussed the hormonal control of hair growth, focusing on the role of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) as the active form of testosterone in hair follicles. It highlighted that glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity, stimulated by cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP), increased significantly during the anagen phase of hair growth. The study noted a correlation between alopecia progression and declining androgen levels, emphasizing that 5α-DHT, rather than testosterone, stimulated matrix cells in hair follicles, particularly in women with hirsutism. This mechanism was also relevant to sebaceous gland activity in acne.