57 citations
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January 2003 in “Clinical and experimental dermatology”
This study identified postmenopausal frontal fibrosing alopecia as a distinct form of scarring alopecia in postmenopausal women, noting a potential link with a history of bilateral oophorectomy.
January 2020 in “Journal of South Asian Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology”
In this case study, laparoscopic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was associated with reduced androgen levels and partial reversal of male-pattern hair loss in a postmenopausal woman with ovarian hyperandrogenism.
This case report observed no hair regrowth after treating a woman with postmenopausal frontal fibrosing alopecia using systemic and local corticosteroids, suggesting the need for more innovative therapies.
332 citations
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June 1994 in “Archives of Dermatology”
This study found that progressive frontal hairline recession in postmenopausal women may exhibit features similar to fibrosing alopecia, with histologic similarities to lichen planopilaris but lacking lesions of lichen planus.
IGFBP‐rP1 shows potential for treating androgenic alopecia by influencing hair cycle transitions. Increasing IGF-1 levels may have similar effects to Minoxidil and 5-AR inhibitors in reducing hair loss.
The conversation discusses whether to use finasteride for hair loss, considering its role in inhibiting DHT and 5AR, which can affect brain function and mood. Some users report anxiety and depression from finasteride, while others do not experience these side effects and emphasize the importance of DHT for brain and prostate health.
A woman with androgenetic alopecia is using a treatment of topical finasteride with 7% minoxidil, spironolactone, and supplements like iron, vitamin D, biotin, and zinc. She is considering additional treatments like PRP and laser therapy but has not seen significant hair regrowth yet.
Men with hair loss might have lichen planopilaris (LPP), which can mimic androgenetic alopecia, leading to misdiagnosis and ineffective treatment with finasteride or dutasteride. Proper diagnosis, including biopsies, is crucial to distinguish between androgenetic alopecia and conditions like LPP.
Finasteride is effective in promoting hair growth and reversing hair miniaturization in men with androgenetic alopecia, with improvements seen in various studies over different durations. Some users report initial side effects like ball ache, which often resolve as the body adjusts.
Alfatradiol: Can it help if my hair loss is linked to DHT?The one randomised trial of topical alfatradiol — in 103 women — found hair thickness and density essentially unchanged after six months, while minoxidil improved both; its authors credited alfatradiol with slowing hair loss rather than regrowing hair. Laboratory work supports a local effect on follicular DHT, but no controlled trial in men appears to have been published.
Alfatradiol: What does a form of estrogen have to do with hair loss in men?Alfatradiol (17α-estradiol) is a prescription topical hormone, licensed for androgenetic alopecia in Germany but not FDA-approved. The controlled trial evidence is in women, where it produced stabilisation rather than regrowth and was outperformed by minoxidil; no comparable placebo-controlled trial in men appears to have been published.
Does Alfatradiol work the same for women, men, and trans people?Almost all controlled data on topical alfatradiol comes from cisgender women, where it slowed hair loss rather than regrowing hair and was outperformed by minoxidil. No published controlled trial covers cisgender men, and none covers trans people at all — so the honest answer is that the difference has not been measured.
Frontline, gold standard treatment for combatting androgenic alopecia
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.