Hair Morphology in Androgenetic Alopecia
July 2014
in “
Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine
”
TLDR Abnormal cuticle and hair shaft medulla cause hair loss in androgenetic alopecia; sonography helps diagnose and manage it.
This study used sonography and electron microscopy to examine the hair morphology of patients with androgenetic alopecia. The results showed abnormalities in the cuticle and hair shaft medulla, which may explain hair loss in androgenetic alopecia. The study also found that sonography can be used to depict a morphologic pattern in androgenetic alopecia, which may be useful in the diagnosis and management of the condition. Overall, the study suggests that noninvasive imaging studies of androgenetic alopecia could potentially support the diagnosis and management of this very common condition.