Pediatric Androgenetic Alopecia: A Retrospective Review of Clinical Characteristics, Hormonal Assays, and Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors in 23 Patients

January 2022 in “ Anais Brasileiros De Dermatologia ”

Deren Özcan

androgenetic alopecia AGA diffuse thinning trichoscopic findings hair diameter diversity metabolic syndrome MetS obesity overweight free testosterone total testosterone

TLDR Androgenetic alopecia in teens is linked to obesity and other metabolic risks, needing early diagnosis and management.

This retrospective study of 23 pediatric patients with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) found that AGA is more common in adolescents, with a mean age of 15.3 years, and affects both genders equally. The most frequent hair loss pattern was diffuse thinning at the crown, and trichoscopic findings showed >20% hair diameter diversity in all patients. Notably, 60.9% of the patients had at least one metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk factor, with obesity or overweight being the most common. Increased levels of free and total testosterone were observed in some patients, but other hormonal levels were generally normal. The study emphasizes the importance of recognizing AGA in pediatric patients for timely diagnosis and management, and highlights the need to screen for MetS risk factors to prevent future cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

View this study on sciencedirect.com →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Research cited in this study

16 / 16 results

research Association of Early-Onset Androgenetic Alopecia and Metabolic Syndrome

5 citations, February 2021 in “JCPSP. Journal of the College of Physicians & Surgeons Pakistan”

Early-onset hair loss in young males is linked to a higher risk of metabolic syndrome.

research Pediatric Androgenetic Alopecia: A Review

8 citations, August 2019 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Early diagnosis and treatment, like topical minoxidil, can prevent hair loss in children.

research The Diagnosis of Androgenetic Alopecia in Children: Considerations of Pathophysiological Plausibility

7 citations, June 2019 in “Australasian Journal of Dermatology”

AGA in children needs careful diagnosis due to low androgen levels and possible other causes.

Gender-Specific Risk Factors for Androgenetic Alopecia in the Korean General Population: Associations with Medical Comorbidities and General Health Behaviors

research Gender-Specific Risk Factors for Androgenetic Alopecia in the Korean General Population: Associations with Medical Comorbidities and General Health Behaviors

7 citations, January 2018 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

AGA risk factors include age, smoking, hypertension for men, and age, dyslipidemia for women; lifestyle changes may help prevention.

research Alopecia and the Metabolic Syndrome

30 citations, September 2017 in “Clinics in Dermatology”

Men with common hair loss may have a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes, and should be checked for these conditions.

research Androgenic Alopecia: An Entity to Consider in Adolescence

6 citations, July 2017 in “Case Reports”

Hair loss, known as androgenic alopecia, can start in teenage years and may not always be hormone-related. It's important to do extra tests in young cases and remember it can greatly affect a teenager's mental health.

research Metabolic Syndrome in Androgenic Alopecia

16 citations, January 2016 in “Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology”

Metabolic syndrome is more common in people with early-onset androgenic alopecia.

research Alopecia and Its Association with Coronary Heart Disease and Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Meta-Analysis

48 citations, October 2014 in “International Journal of Cardiology”

People with alopecia are at higher risk for heart disease and have more heart-related risk factors.

research Androgenetic Alopecia, Metabolic Syndrome, and Insulin Resistance: Is There Any Association? A Case-Control Study

34 citations, July 2014 in “Indian Dermatology Online Journal”

Hair loss linked to metabolic issues and insulin resistance; early assessment may reduce future health risks.

research Role of Trichoscopy in Children's Scalp and Hair Disorders

43 citations, August 2013 in “Pediatric Dermatology”

Trichoscopy is good for diagnosing and monitoring hair and scalp problems in children but needs more research for certain conditions.

research Familial Androgenetic Alopecia in Siblings with Normal Endocrinological Status

5 citations, September 2011 in “Pediatric Dermatology”

Two young siblings experienced hair loss without hormone issues or other skin problems.

research Androgenetic Alopecia and Insulin Resistance: Are They Truly Associated?

35 citations, April 2011 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

No true link between AGA and insulin resistance, but coexistence may worsen AGA.

research Association of Androgenetic Alopecia with Metabolic Syndrome in Men: A Community-Based Survey

69 citations, April 2010 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

Balding men, especially young ones, may have higher risk of heart issues and diabetes; check cholesterol levels.

research Androgenetic Alopecia in the Pediatric Population: A Retrospective Review of 57 Patients

53 citations, March 2010 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

Alopecia common in teens, may indicate endocrine issue, minoxidil effective treatment.

research Androgenetic Alopecia in Adolescents: A Report of 43 Cases

35 citations, October 2006 in “Journal of Dermatology”

Teen hair loss common in boys, linked to family history and mild symptoms.

research Androgenetic Alopecia in Children: Report of 20 Cases

72 citations, March 2005 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

AGA can occur in children with family history; early diagnosis and treatment important.

Related Community Posts Join

6 / 1000+ results

community Diffuse hair loss and scalp biopsies

in Research 692 upvotes 3 months ago

Scalp biopsies are crucial for diagnosing hair loss conditions like Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA) and retrograde hair loss, as treatments like finasteride and dutasteride may not be effective if other conditions are present. Combining PPAR-GAMMA agonists with retinoids could improve treatments for conditions like Lichen Planopilaris.

community I’m Feeling so discouraged and depressed - No one wants to prescribe finasteride to me.

in Finasteride/Dutasteride 68 upvotes 8 months ago

A user in France is frustrated because three dermatologists refused to prescribe finasteride for their hair loss, suggesting it's not androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and offering expensive vitamin treatments instead. Other users suggest buying hair loss treatments like minoxidil and finasteride from various online pharmacies and considering a gender-affirming care physician for more understanding treatment options.

community 9 months on Fin - no progress , should I get on Dutasteride?

in Chat 10 upvotes 2 weeks ago

The user has been using finasteride, minoxidil, and nizoral for hair loss but hasn't seen regrowth, only maintenance. They are considering switching to dutasteride, which is believed to be more effective, but are concerned about potential side effects.

community I bought a microscope, how does my scalp/hairs look? I've been suffering diffuse thinning and hair loss after covid and never recovered (2 yrs ago) I eat healthy, in shape and workout.

in Progress Pictures 86 upvotes 8 months ago

A person with hair loss since COVID-19 is considering treatments like finasteride and minoxidil but is hesitant due to potential side effects. Suggestions include visiting a dermatologist, using a ketoconazole shampoo, and considering that post-COVID hair loss might be an autoimmune response.

community Been using Dutasteride, Ru58841, Minoxidil, and Ketaconozole for years. Still can't stop shed, recession or loss of density.

in Treatment 1 upvotes 1 month ago

Despite using dutasteride, RU58841, minoxidil, and ketoconazole for years, the user continues to experience severe hair loss and thinning. They seek advice after multiple dermatologists confirmed androgenetic alopecia (AGA) but offered no effective solutions.

community 57% increased chance of pattern hair loss independently associated with the consumption of sugary beverages in men (p<0.001) Pt 2

in Research/Science 489 upvotes 3 months ago

Sugary beverages increase the risk of pattern hair loss in men by 57%. Treatments discussed include Minoxidil, finasteride, and RU58841.

Similar Research

5 / 1000+ results

research Scalp Dermatoscopic Findings in Androgenetic Alopecia and Their Relations with Disease Severity

30 citations, January 2014 in “Annals of Dermatology”

Scalp dermatoscopy helps diagnose and monitor hair loss severity.

research Recent Advances in Understanding of the Etiopathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Management of Hair Loss Diseases

May 2023 in “Journal of Clinical Medicine”

New understanding and treatments for hair loss are improving, but more research is needed.

research Trichoscopic Findings of Hair Loss in Koreans

16 citations, January 2015 in “Annals of Dermatology”

The study found specific hair and scalp patterns for different types of hair loss in Koreans, noting racial differences affect diagnosis.

research Trichoscopic Findings of Androgenetic Alopecia and Their Association with Disease Severity

30 citations, March 2015 in “Journal of Dermatology”

Hair thickness differences help diagnose hair loss severity.

research Trichoscopic Findings in Androgenetic Alopecia

3 citations, January 2021 in “Medicinski arhiv”

Trichoscopy, a hair loss evaluation technique, found that people with Androgenetic Alopecia have more thin hairs, yellow dots, and perifollicular discoloration than healthy individuals.