Hair Growth as Anti-Aging

January 2009 in “ Drug delivery system ”

Susumu Otomo

senile alopecia androgenetic alopecia male hormones hair cycle follicle miniaturization hair transplantation minoxidil finasteride ATP-sensitive K+ channels anti-androgen type II 5α-reductase Propecia Rogaine

From the encyclopedia

Minoxidil →

An essential vasodilator with some anti-androgenic effects

Finasteride →

Frontline, gold standard treatment for combatting androgenic alopecia

Studysummary This article provides a detailed review of minoxidil's pharmacological effects for treating androgenic alopecia but reports no new clinical results.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

The document discussed two types of hair loss associated with aging: senile alopecia and androgenetic alopecia. Senile alopecia resulted from follicle loss due to aging and did not follow a specific pattern, while androgenetic alopecia, influenced by male hormones, led to a characteristic pattern due to the shortening of the hair cycle's growth phase and follicle miniaturization. Androgenetic alopecia was of greater concern both aesthetically and psychologically. Anti-aging treatments included hair transplantation and medications, primarily minoxidil and finasteride. Minoxidil promoted hair growth by opening ATP-sensitive K+ channels, while finasteride acted as an anti-androgen by inhibiting type II 5α-reductase. Both treatments were clinically proven effective, with the document providing detailed pharmacological effects of minoxidil.

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Research cited in this study

20 / 20 results

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This study found that human hair follicles express ATP-sensitive potassium channels, suggesting that minoxidil acts on these channels and that drugs targeting them may treat hair disorders.

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171 citations , July 2007 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

The researchers reported that DHT-inducible DKK-1 may play a significant role in DHT-driven balding by inhibiting hair follicle cell growth and promoting apoptosis in androgenetic alopecia.

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66 citations , February 2007 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology”

The researchers reported that adenosine increases FGF-7 expression in dermal papilla cells, which may stimulate hair growth via the A2b adenosine receptor and cAMP pathway.

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47 citations , July 2004 in “Journal of Dermatological Science”

In this study, decreased expression of BMP2 and ephrin A3 and increased NT-4 gene expression were observed in dermal papilla cells from androgenic alopecia-affected skin, suggesting potential roles in hair growth regulation.

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28 citations , January 2004 in “British Journal of Pharmacology”

This study found that minoxidil provides cardioprotective effects in guinea-pig heart cells through selective activation of mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channels.

Androgen-Inducible TGF-β1 from Balding Dermal Papilla Cells Inhibits Epithelial Cell Growth: A Clue to Understanding Paradoxical Effects of Androgen on Human Hair Growth

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190 citations , October 2002 in “The FASEB journal”

In this study, androgen did not affect keratinocyte growth in coculture with androgenetic alopecia-derived dermal papilla cells, but did significantly suppress keratinocyte growth when androgen receptor was overexpressed in the papilla cells.

Minoxidil-Induced Hair Growth Is Mediated by Adenosine in Cultured Dermal Papilla Cells: Possible Involvement of Sulfonylurea Receptor 2B as a Target of Minoxidil

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83 citations , December 2001 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

Minoxidil boosts hair growth by targeting adenosine and possibly sulfonylurea receptor 2B.

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520 citations , February 2001 in “Journal of Clinical Investigation”

This study found that VEGF significantly enhances perifollicular vascularization during the hair growth phase, accelerating hair regrowth and increasing follicle and hair size, while its inhibition retards hair growth.

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949 citations , January 2001 in “Cell”

This study demonstrated that multipotent stem cells in adult mice whisker follicles migrate to produce whisker growth, and that this process requires precise control of stem cell trafficking.

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This study found that minoxidil significantly increases VEGF mRNA and protein expression in dermal papilla cells, suggesting a role in enhancing hair follicle vascularization in androgenetic alopecia.

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This study found that dermal papilla cells from balding scalp hair follicles have significantly higher levels of androgen receptors than those from non-balding follicles, supporting their in vivo androgen response.

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32 citations , August 1996 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

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This study observed that minoxidil specifically increased DNA synthesis in hair follicle cells, suggesting its distinct mechanism of action in promoting hair growth compared to cyclosporin, which showed no direct proliferative effect on these cells.

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Hair follicles in people with alopecia have lower levels of a key blood vessel growth protein.

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The conclusion is that small hair follicles cause baldness in macaques, and treatments like antiandrogens and minoxidil can prevent hair loss and promote regrowth.

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9 citations , December 1991 in “Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences”

Minoxidil helps hair growth by increasing blood flow and stimulating hair follicles.

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In this study with stumptailed macaques, topical minoxidil successfully induced hair regrowth on bald scalps and prevented baldness on non-bald scalps, with no observed side effects over nearly three years.