Steroids excreted by human skin. I. C19-steroids in axillary hair

Seven free androgen steroids and four C19-steroid sulphates were isolated and determined from the axillary hair of sexually mature healthy males and females. In 1 g axillary hair the free 4-androstene-3 beta, 17 beta-diol, testosterone, 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, androsterone, 4-androstene-3,17-dione and 5 alpha-androstane-3,17-dione occurred in nanomol amounts, whereas dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, androsterone sulphate and 5-androstene-3 beta,17 beta-diol-3-sulphate were found in approximately 1000 times these amounts. The quantity of testosterone sulphate lies among the values for the free steroids. The free steroids present in hair are regarded as products of the sebaceous glands, and the sulphate ester steroids as products of the sweat glands.