The Modern Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia

The 2017 document reviewed the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (AGA), a common cause of hair loss affecting up to 80% of men and 42% of women in the Caucasian population. Standard treatments at the time, minoxidil and finasteride, had moderate efficacy and potential side effects, with finasteride being ineffective for women. The review also explored potential new treatments such as growth factors and cytokines, topical 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, androgen receptor antagonists, prostaglandin analogs and antagonists, Wnt signaling activators, and platelet-rich plasma injections. Specific studies were mentioned, including the use of latanoprost 0.1% for hair growth in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled pilot study, the potential of bimatoprost in treating scalp alopecias and female-pattern AGA, and the role of Prostaglandin D2 in inhibiting hair growth. The document also highlighted the importance of WNT signals for hair follicle development and the potential of topical valproic acid and autologous platelet-rich plasma in promoting hair growth.