Higher Body Mass Index Is Associated With Greater Severity of Alopecia in Men With Male-Pattern Androgenetic Alopecia in Taiwan: A Cross-Sectional Study

November 2013 in “ Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology ”

Chao Yang, Fu Nien Hsieh, Liyu Lin, Chao Kai Hsu, Hamm Ming Sheu, WenChieh Chen

body mass index BMI male-pattern androgenetic alopecia androgenetic alopecia AGA obesity alopecia severity male-pattern baldness

Studysummary This study found that higher BMI was significantly associated with more severe hair loss in men with male-pattern and early-onset androgenetic alopecia. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

This study found that higher BMI was associated with greater severity of male-pattern androgenetic alopecia (AGA) in men in Taiwan, especially in those with early-onset AGA. The study suggests that obesity might be a strong modifier of alopecia severity in this subgroup. Further studies are needed to understand the mechanism underlying their association and to develop new treatment modalities.

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Research cited in this study

14 / 14 results

research Androgenetic Alopecia and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Men and Women: A Comparative Study

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research Prevalence of Androgenetic Alopecia in China: A Community-Based Study in Six Cities

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This study found that the prevalence of androgenetic alopecia in Chinese men and women was lower than in Caucasians and similar to that in Koreans.

research Female Pattern Hair Loss in a Patient with 17α-Hydroxylase Deficiency

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Low androgen levels can still cause female pattern hair loss.

research Role of Insulin, Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1, Hyperglycemic Food, and Milk Consumption in the Pathogenesis of Acne Vulgaris

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This article reviews the role of IGF-1 in acne pathogenesis and discusses how diet and smoking may influence insulin/IGF-1 signaling, but reports no new clinical results.

research Androgenetic Alopecia and Insulin Resistance in Young Men

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This study found that young males with stage III or higher androgenetic alopecia had higher insulin resistance and cardiovascular-related features, suggesting the need for metabolic assessment in this population.

research Association of Androgenetic Alopecia With Smoking and Its Prevalence Among Asian Men

91 citations , November 2007 in “Archives of Dermatology”

In this study, smoking status and intensity were significantly associated with moderate or severe androgenetic alopecia among Asian men, after accounting for age and family history.

research Obesity and Low-Grade Inflammation Among Young Finnish Men With Early-Onset Alopecia

72 citations , January 2007 in “Dermatology”

This study found a correlation between moderate to extensive alopecia and low-grade inflammation, a cardiovascular risk marker, particularly in young men under 35 with central obesity.

research Association of Insulin Resistance Linked Diseases and Hair Loss in Elderly Men: Finnish Population-Based Study

55 citations , June 2006 in “Central European Journal of Public Health”

This study observed that Finnish men aged 63 with androgenetic alopecia had higher rates of hypertension and diabetes compared to those with normal hair status.

research Molecular Mechanisms of Androgenetic Alopecia

229 citations , August 2002 in “Experimental Gerontology”

This paper discusses key mechanisms of androgen metabolism in androgenetic alopecia and reports the effectiveness of treatments like oral finasteride and topical minoxidil, highlighting the limited success rate due to factors like follicular inflammation.

research Early Androgenetic Alopecia as a Marker of Insulin Resistance

115 citations , September 2000 in “The Lancet”

Early hair loss may indicate risk of insulin resistance.

research Diffuse Female Hair Loss: Are Androgens Necessary?

110 citations , September 1999 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

This case report describes a young woman with hypopituitarism who experienced hair loss typical of female androgenetic alopecia without detectable androgens, suggesting this hair loss pattern may not always be androgen dependent.

research Guidelines of Care for Androgenetic Alopecia

37 citations , September 1996 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Treat genetic hair loss early with FDA-approved medications and consider hair transplantation.

research Biochemical and Trichological Characterization of Diffuse Alopecia in Women

124 citations , August 1990 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

Diffuse alopecia in women may be related to androgens and iron deficiency, and basic hormone and nutrient screening is useful.

research Classification of the Types of Androgenetic Alopecia (Common Baldness) Occurring in the Female Sex

666 citations , September 1977 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

This article presents a classification system for stages of female-pattern androgenetic alopecia to aid early diagnosis and mentions existing systems for rare male-pattern cases, but reports no new clinical results.