The Vellus Index: A New Method of Assessing Hair Growth

December 1987 in “ Fertility and sterility ”

Amos Madanes, Marylin Novotny

vellus index hair growth hirsutism vellus hairs treatment response hair growth disorders

TLDR The vellus index is a simple, quick, and reliable method to assess and monitor hair growth, especially in hirsutism.

The study introduced the vellus index (VI) as a new method to objectively assess hair growth, particularly in hirsutism. The VI was calculated as the percentage of vellus hairs in a sample and was tested on 14 hirsute patients, 19 normal female volunteers, and 10 normal males. Results showed that hirsute patients had a significantly lower mean VI (33 ± 3) compared to normal females (78 ± 4), with minimal overlap between groups. The VI proved to be a reliable predictor of treatment response, detecting changes 3 to 6 months before clinical improvement. The method was simple, quick, and objective, making it a valuable tool for monitoring hirsutism treatment and potentially other hair growth disorders.

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The Vellus Index: A New Method of Assessing Hair Growth

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