Mapping the Hair Density, Thickness, and Volume in Normal and Androgenetic Alopecia Subjects With the Digital Microscope

The study used a hand-held digital microscope to map hair density and the terminal-to-vellus hair ratio (T/V ratio) across 11 scalp sites in 49 normal and 111 androgenetic alopecia (AGA) subjects. Results showed that hair density and T/V ratio were highest at the parietal and vertex sites in normal subjects. In AGA subjects, hair density significantly decreased at the frontal, parietal, and vertex sites, while the occipital site remained relatively unchanged, though a decreasing trend was noted in females with increasing AGA severity. The T/V ratio had a greater impact on the visual perception of hair volume than hair density. The digital microscope proved to be a noninvasive and effective tool for evaluating hair parameters.