What Is Androgenic Alopecia?
Androgenetic alopecia is an androgen-dependent hereditary disease, and it is the most common type of clinical hair loss, manifested by a progressive decrease in hair density. Androgenetic alopecia in men is also called male pattern hair loss, and androgenetic alopecia in women is also called female pattern hair loss.
- English name
- androgenetic alopecia
- English alias
- alopecia androgenetica
- Visiting department
- dermatology
- Common locations
- Scalp hair follicles
- Common causes
- Autosomal dominant inherited polygenic disease, increased sensitivity of local scalp hair follicles to androgens
- Common symptoms
- Hair is thin and thin.
Basic Information
Etiology of androgen
- Androgenetic alopecia is an autosomal dominant polygenic disease. The patient's local scalp hair follicles had increased sensitivity to androgens (mainly dihydrotestosterone), resulting in miniaturization of the hair follicles, thinning of the hair shaft, and clinical manifestations of thinning and thinning hair.
Clinical manifestations of androgenetic alopecia
- The disease may have a family history. Male pattern hair loss is mainly seen in men between 20 and 30 years of age. Hair density decreases from the sides of the forehead, the hair is thin and thin, and it gradually extends to the top of the head. Or the hair starts to fall from the top of the head. There is also a drop in the top of the head and forehead at the same time. Hair loss develops progressively. Forehead and top of the head can be fused with each other. In severe cases, only the occipital and two temporal hairs remain. The skin in the alopecia area was smooth, with fine bristles and no atrophy. May be accompanied by increased secretion of scalp oil. Generally without symptoms.
- Female pattern hair loss is generally lighter, mostly manifested as gradual thinning of the hair on the top of the head, and generally does not involve the temporal frontal area. Hair loss at the top is diffuse, like a "Christmas tree". The process of hair loss is generally slow, the degree varies from person to person, but it is rare to have baldness at the top.
Diagnosis of androgenetic alopecia
- Diagnosis can be made based on typical clinical manifestations. Need to identify secondary hair loss caused by other reasons, such as malnutrition, drugs, endocrine diseases and iron deficiency anemia.
Androgenic alopecia treatment
- System treatment
- Finasteride is a selective type II 5-reductase inhibitor that can inhibit the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone and reduce the level of dihydrotestosterone in serum and scalp. It is the only type approved by the US FDA for treatment Oral medication for male pattern hair loss. The course of treatment takes more than 1 year. Patients with hair loss associated with hyperandrogenemia are mainly treated with anti-androgens, such as oral cycloprogesterone acetate and spironolactone.
- Local treatment
- Minoxidil is the only external drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia, and it can be used by both men and women.
- 3. Hair transplant
- It is another option to treat severe androgenic alopecia.