The Transverse Anatomy of Androgenic Alopecia
December 1990
in “The Journal of Dermatologic Surgery and Oncology”
TLDR The study found that horizontal sections of scalp biopsies are better for analyzing hair loss, showing fewer hairs and more fine hairs in balding areas.
In the 1990 study, Leonard C. Sperling, M.D., and George B. Winton, M.D., analyzed 25 biopsy specimens from the balding frontal scalp of five male patients with androgenic alopecia. They found that transverse frozen sectioning with toluidine blue staining was a rapid and reliable method for studying the condition, revealing decreased hair density (about 111 hairs per cm²), an increased number of vellus hairs, and altered follicular architecture. The study demonstrated the limitations of vertical sectioning, which underrepresented the number of vellus hairs, and noted a mild inflammatory infiltrate at the level of the isthmus and infundibulum. The findings suggest that the number of follicles, best determined by transverse sections, may influence the prognosis of scalp disorders and the effectiveness of treatments like Minoxidil. Additionally, the telogen germ unit, visible in transverse section, could be mistaken for basal cell carcinoma, indicating the diagnostic value of transverse sections in dermatology clinics, especially those with a Mohs unit.
View this study on onlinelibrary.wiley.com →
Cited in this study
research Loose anagen hair of childhood: The phenomenon of easily pluckable hair
Children with loose anagen hair have easily pluckable hair due to root sheath problems, and it might improve without treatment.
research Histologic Response to Topically Applied Minoxidil in Male-Pattern Alopecia
Minoxidil can help grow hair and make hair follicles bigger, but it can also cause side effects.
Related
research Hair counts in scalp biopsy of males and females with androgenetic alopecia compared with normal subjects
AGA patients have fewer hairs and smaller follicles; T:V ratio above 4:1 may indicate AGA.
research Hair anatomy for the clinician
Understanding hair follicle anatomy helps diagnose hair disorders.