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Related Experiment Videos

Androgens and alopecia.

Keith D Kaufman1

  • 1Merck Research Laboratories, Department of Clinical Research, Endocrinology and Metabolism, RY34-A248, 126 East Lincoln Avenue, Rahway, NJ 07065-0900, USA. keith_kaufman@merck.com

Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
|February 8, 2003
PubMed
Summary
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Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) drives male pattern hair loss by miniaturizing scalp hair. Finasteride, a DHT inhibitor, improved hair growth in men but not women with female pattern hair loss, suggesting distinct causes.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Dermatology
  • Hair Biology

Background:

  • Androgens significantly influence human scalp and body hair growth.
  • Androgenetic alopecia involves progressive scalp hair miniaturization, known as male pattern hair loss (MPHL) and female pattern hair loss (FPHL).
  • Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is implicated in MPHL pathogenesis, supported by studies on eunuchs and 5alpha-reductase deficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of DHT in MPHL and FPHL.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of finasteride, a 5alpha-reductase inhibitor, in treating MPHL and FPHL.

Main Methods:

  • Clinical trials with finasteride were conducted in men with MPHL and postmenopausal women with FPHL.
  • Scalp hair growth was assessed, and scalp biopsies were evaluated histopathologically.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Scalp DHT levels were measured in men undergoing finasteride treatment.

    • Main Results:

    • Finasteride treatment improved scalp hair growth in men with MPHL, correlating with reduced scalp DHT levels.
    • Histopathological analysis showed a trend towards reversal of hair miniaturization in treated men.
    • Finasteride did not improve hair growth in postmenopausal women with FPHL, with no observed benefit on scalp biopsies.

    Conclusions:

    • MPHL and FPHL appear to be distinct clinical conditions with different underlying pathophysiologies.
    • DHT plays a crucial role in the development of MPHL in men.
    • Further research into the molecular mechanisms of androgen regulation of hair growth is needed to understand these differences.