Managing Patterned Hair Loss – A Hair Raising Task!

Patterned hair loss, or androgenetic alopecia, is a genetically influenced condition affecting nearly half the population, causing hair shedding and thinning due to altered follicular sensitivity to circulating androgens. The document discusses various treatments, including minoxidil, which increases blood supply to the scalp and enhances DNA synthesis in follicular cells, and finasteride, which reduces serum and scalp levels of DHT, a hormone linked to hair loss. A study on 52 patients using a 0.005% topical finasteride solution showed significant reduction in hair loss. Other treatments include prostaglandin analogues, ketoconazole, melatonin, and solutions containing Redensyl, Capixyl, and Procapil. Dutasteride, a second-generation 5α-reductase inhibitor, showed greater efficacy compared to finasteride in a study on 416 males. Procedures like light therapy, platelet-rich plasma treatments, microneedling, mesotherapy, and camouflaging are also used. The document concludes that while existing treatments have gaps, off-label usage is becoming more common.