TLDR Women with hair loss had higher levels of certain hormones, suggesting a link to a condition like PCOS.
In 2000, Juricskay and Telegdy conducted a study on 56 women with androgenic alopecia and compared their urinary steroid metabolites to those of 17 healthy controls. They discovered that the women with hair loss had significantly higher levels of testosterone and androstenedione metabolites, as well as increased cortisol and corticosterone metabolites, indicating adrenal cortex hyperactivity. Additionally, the study found normal 11β-hydroxylase activity but increased 5α-reductase activity in the alopecia patients, suggesting that the latter may be the primary defect in these cases. These hormonal patterns were noted to be similar to those found in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), hinting at a potential shared pathophysiological mechanism between androgenic alopecia and PCOS.
17 citations,
January 1995 in “The American Journal of Medicine” The document concludes that proper diagnosis and tailored long-term treatment can effectively manage androgenic disorders in women, improving patient care outcomes.
24 citations,
October 1994 in “Fertility and Sterility” People with hair loss may have different levels of certain hormones due to changes in hormone processing.
23 citations,
January 1994 in “Skin Pharmacology and Physiology” Hair loss in men and women is linked to high stress hormone levels and other hormonal imbalances, suggesting treatments should be customized to each person's hormones.
32 citations,
January 1990 in “Clinical Endocrinology” Women with female pattern hair loss have higher levels of certain androgens, suggesting increased androgen exposure to hair follicles.
14 citations,
July 1987 in “Dermatologic Clinics” The document concludes that treating female hair loss should target reducing excess androgen and blocking its effects on hair follicles, with the best treatments being hormonal therapy, adrenal suppression, and topical minoxidil.
Women with androgenetic alopecia (hair loss) have normal prostate specific antigen levels but higher testosterone levels.
47 citations,
September 2016 in “Reviews in endocrine and metabolic disorders” The skin's ability to produce hormones is linked to various skin conditions, and better understanding this process could lead to new treatments.
16 citations,
September 2008 in “Dermatologic Therapy” CAH is a genetic disorder affecting cortisol production and causing hormonal imbalances, with treatment and diagnosis varying by form and symptoms.
222 citations,
January 2014 in “International journal of reproductive medicine” Insulin resistance and obesity are key factors in the development and worsening of polycystic ovary syndrome, and lifestyle changes are important for managing it.
14 citations,
December 2010 in “Seminars in Oncology” Rare adrenal cancers that secrete androgens or estrogens have a poor prognosis and are treated primarily with surgery.
