A Retrospective Study on the Characteristics of Androgenetic Alopecia Among Asian Races in the National Skin Centre, a Tertiary Dermatological Referral Centre in Singapore

This study aimed to investigate the characteristics and psychosocial impact of androgenetic alopecia among Asian races. The researchers conducted a retrospective telephone interview study of 256 patients with androgenetic alopecia in a dermatological referral center in Singapore. The results showed that the mean age at presentation was 33.7 years, with no significant age differences among different races. The mean duration of the disease before consultation was 31.2 months. Almost all patients (96.4%) felt socially embarrassed and unhappy about their alopecia, and 90.5% sought treatment for cosmetic reasons. A positive family history of androgenetic alopecia was found in 58.9% of patients. Male patients tended to have a father or male sibling with a similar condition, while female patients tended to have a mother or female sibling with the condition. The predominant balding patterns differed between males and females. In conclusion, most patients sought treatment for cosmetic reasons and were unhappy about their appearance. A positive family history suggested a possible autosomal dominant trait for the disorder.