Vertex Overload: A Thermo Mechanical and Metabolic Framework for Androgenetic Alopecia

The paper "Vertex Overload: A Thermo Mechanical and Metabolic Framework for Androgenetic Alopecia" proposes a new framework for understanding androgenetic alopecia (AGA) by focusing on the vertex of the scalp as a critical area affected by chronic mechanical and thermal stress. It suggests that the vertex acts as a thermodynamic and mechanical exhaust node, where chronic stress leads to local hypoxia, inflammation, and vascular changes, causing hair follicles to shrink and enter a low-metabolic state. The study reinterprets androgens and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) as co-mediators of stress rather than isolated toxins. The framework predicts that differences in scalp tension, oxygenation, and temperature at the vertex correlate with hair density, and suggests that interventions targeting these factors could enhance traditional anti-androgen therapies.