Pharmacologic interventions in aging hair
April 2006
in “Clinical Interventions in Aging”
TLDR Minoxidil and Finasteride are effective for male baldness; more research is needed for hair aging treatments.
The 2006 document "Pharmacologic interventions in aging hair" discussed the effects of various drugs on hair aging and loss. Minoxidil and Finasteride were identified as the most effective treatments for male pattern baldness, with Minoxidil promoting hair growth and Finasteride inhibiting the hormone causing hair loss. The use of anti-androgens and estrogens for female pattern hair loss was also mentioned, but their effectiveness was less established. The paper also discussed the aging process of hair, including weathering of the hair shaft, decrease of melanocyte function, and decrease in hair production. Intrinsic factors like genetic and epigenetic mechanisms and extrinsic factors like UV radiation and air pollution were identified as affecting hair aging. The document also suggested that inflammation in hair follicles can lead to hair loss and that UV radiation can contribute to hair loss. The paper concluded that more research was needed to develop effective treatments for hair aging.
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