November 2023 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”
In this study, patients with alopecia areata displayed altered scalp microbiota compared to healthy controls, and treatment with JAK kinase inhibitors largely restored these microbial changes, providing insights into the potential role of the skin microbiome in alopecia areata.
105 citations
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December 1995 in “British journal of dermatology/British journal of dermatology, Supplement”
This retrospective study concluded that PUVA treatment is generally ineffective for alopecia areata, with low effective success rates for partialis, totalis, and universalis types.
This study found that cyclosporine A may lead to partial hair regrowth in 50% of patients with severe alopecia areata who do not respond to standard treatments.
This study found that partially bald scalps of Indian men with androgenic alopecia retain progenitor cells marked by CD34 and Sox9, but these cells are absent in completely bald areas, suggesting that interventions might be more effective if focused on early-stage hair loss.
The user discusses their experience with diffuse unpatterned alopecia and acquired progressive hair kinkering, noting improvements with treatments including biotin, pantothenic acid, finasteride, ketoconazole, and zinc pyrithione shampoo. They report thicker, healthier hair and improved scalp condition, attributing success mainly to biotin, pantothenic acid, and finasteride.
A 27-year-old male physician improved hair density using minoxidil 5% foam and finasteride 1mg every other day, with initial sexual side effects that subsided. He recommends trying finasteride for a year but warns against dutasteride due to potential liver effects.
Dutasteride and finasteride have similar risks of sexual dysfunction for treating androgenetic alopecia. Users experience varying side effects, indicating individual differences in drug reactions.
Spironolactone can remain effective for a long time in treating androgenetic alopecia, but it may not completely stop hair loss. Hair loss treatments like spironolactone, finasteride, and dutasteride slow down hair loss rather than cure it, and their effectiveness can vary based on individual response and the aggressiveness of the condition.
Finasteride and minoxidil are recommended as first-line treatments for hair loss, with dutasteride and oral minoxidil as stronger options if needed. Hair transplants should only be considered after achieving stability with medication, and non-surgical options are suggested if medications are ineffective.
Frontline, gold standard treatment for combatting androgenic alopecia
Does hair strand thickness decrease in men with androgenic alopecia? Can finasteride help restore it?Androgenic alopecia thins hair strands by miniaturizing follicles. The pivotal finasteride trials (1,553 men, 1 mg/day, two years) report increased hair counts and improved assessed appearance, but they measured density, not the diameter of individual strands, so the effect on thickness itself is not established.
Finasteride for alopecia: the definitive guide to using it correctly.Finasteride 1 mg daily blocks DHT and, in trials, slowed hair loss in most men over 6 to 12 months, though some men do not respond and the benefit lasts only while the drug is taken. It is prescription-only and carries a pregnancy contraindication.