Hair Regrowth in Male and Female Pattern Hair Loss Does Not Involve the Conversion of Vellus Hair to Terminal Hair

January 2016 in “ Experimental Dermatology ”

D. Hugh Rushton, Michael Norris, D. Van Neste

male pattern hair loss female pattern hair loss vellus hair terminal hair hair density hair follicles MPHL FPHL

TLDR Hair regrowth doesn't convert thin hairs to thick hairs, but increases overall hair density.

A study from 2016 found that hair regrowth in male and female pattern hair loss does not involve the conversion of vellus hair to terminal hair. The study analyzed previously published data on the effects of various treatments on hair density and vellus hair count. The results showed that hair regrowth did not involve the conversion of vellus hair to terminal hair, but rather an increase in total hair density and a decrease in the percentage of vellus hairs. The study proposes that there is a population of growth-restricted non-vellus hair follicles that are reactivated by effective medical treatments, which explains the increased hair growth observed in MPHL and FPHL.

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