The Efficacy and Safety of AP-FHG0604T on Female Pattern Hair Loss: A Randomized Double-blind Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Hair loss is a very common disorder and the number of patients is known to be increasing. Female pattern hair loss (FPHL) is not only a medical problem but also a very severe psychosocial problem for many female patients. Anti-androgen drugs, mineral supplements and topical minoxidil have all been used for the treatment of FPHL. However they do not always achieve successful results and there is still much need for more effective therapy. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this 18-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial was to investigate the efficacy and safety of a new topical agent, AP-FHG0604T, in the treatment of FPHL. METHODS: A total of 33 women with FPHL (mean age: 33.4 years old) applied either a topical AP-FHG0604T solution (n=17), or placebo (vehicle for AP-FHG0604T solution; n=16) twice daily. Efficacy was evaluated by phototrichogram, investigator's photographic and patient's subjective assessments. All adverse effects were reported during the study. RESULTS: After 18 weeks of therapy, topical AP-FHG0604T treatment showed a significant improvement compared to baseline values of total hair count, non-vellus hair count, and linear hair growth rate. In the placebo group, non-vellus hair count and ratio of anagen hair significantly decreased. The change rates of total hair count and non-vellus hair count in the AP-FHG0604T group were significantly higher than those in the placebo group. Neither investigator's photographic assessments nor patient's subjective assessments of hair growth showed statistically significant differences between the AP-FHG0604T group or the placebo group. Some patients who used AP- FHG0604T complained of local irritation during the study, but the irritation was so mild that they did not need any treatment for this. CONCLUSION: We conclude that AP-FHG0604T is a safe and efficient topical agent which can be used as another treatment of choice for FPHL, as shown by objective assessment with phototrichogram.

A Case of Tufted Hair Folliculititis

Tufts folliculitis is an uncommon folliculitis of the scalp that resolves with patches of scarring alopecia within which multiple hair tufts emerge from dilated follicular orifices. Each tuft consists of 5 to 20 normal-appearing hairs arising from a single follicular orfice. It has a prolonged relapsing clinical course, and results in a scarring alopecia. Systemic antibiotics and steroids are commonly used for anti-inflammatory effects, but have only a brief response. Here, we report a case of tufted hair folliculitis in a 36-year-old woman, with the clinical, histological findings and computerized hand-held phototrichogramical evaluations.

Comparative Evaluation of Hair Density and Grouped Hair Unit Pattern between Androgenetic Alopecia and Normal Scalp

BACKGROUND: Human hair usually emerges from the scalp in groups of 2 or 3-hair units. Hair densities and grouping patterns in androgenetic alopecia (AGA) patients are known to be different from those in normal adults, but no comparative study has ever before been made in Korea. Therefore we have developed some technical improvements on phototrichogram methodology to evaluate the differences between these two groups. BACKGROUND: Objectives: This study was performed to quantify Koreans' hair characteristics at each site (vertex, occipital, temporal) of the scalp according to the age and to compare the differences of hair characteristics of AGA and normal adults using phototrichogram. METHODS: Hairs in the precisely defined circle at each (vertex, temporal, occipital) site of the scalp in 37 AGA male patients and 15 healthy male volunteers were evaluated according to age. Each circumscribed area of the scalp, centered with a dot tattoo to ensure reproducibility, was photographed just after shaving, and named 'primary image'. Two days later, the same area was again photographed, and named 'secondary image', from which the hair density and the grouping pattern of hair follicular units were determined by the image analyzer program. RESULTS: The results can be summarized as follows: 1. In normal adult males, the range of hair density was 117~13/cm2~140~16/cm2, with the hair density of the occiput being significantly higher than that of the temple. No significant differences in hair density were shown between vertex and occiput. 2. In AGA male patients, the range of hair density was 102~23/cm2-137~17/cm2, and the differences of the hair density between vertex and occiput were statistically significant. 3. The numbers of grouped hair units per square centimeter in the non-bald adult male group ranged from 59~11/cm2 to 73~14/cm2. The most common grouped hair unit was a 2-hair unit, followed by a 1-hair unit and a 3-hair unit group. 4. In the AGA group, the numbers of grouped hair units per square centimeter ranged from 57~6/cm2 to 72~12/cm2, showing no significance with the control group. The most common grouped hair unit was a 1-hair unit, followed by a 2-hair unit and a 3-hair unit group. CONCLUSIONS: The AGA group compared remarkably with the normal adult male group, showing a lower hair density with a larger proportion of 1-grouped hair units. Based on the data about hair density and hair grouping patterns in AGA patients, surgeons can estimate the area of donor scalp with the most probable number of follicular units in hair trans-plantation procedures.

Promoting Effect of a Mixture of 8 Herbal Extracts (SPELA 707) on Hair Growth

In Korean folk medicine, several herbs, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Persicae Semen, Salviae Radix, Angelicae Gigantis Radix, Zanthoxyli Fructus, Ginseng Radix Alba, Cnidii Rhizoma, and Carthami Flos, are known to enhance blood circulation and have wound healing or anti-inflammatory effects. These pharmacological actions prompted us to investigate whether these herbs might stimulate hair growth. Thus, using a mixture of their extracts called SPELA 707, we investigated their effects and found that SPELA 707 possessed significant hair cycle converting activity from the telogen phase to the anagen phase in C3H mice. Furthermore, we found that SPELA 707 enhanced the hair density in subjects with hair loss and also promoted the conversion of hair into the anagen phase in subjects with androgenetic alopecia. In addition, hair growth promotion effect of SPELA 707 occurred through inhibition of steroid 5 alpha-reductase activity, which is known to block hair growth. Taken together, these results suggest that SPELA 707 has a potential to be used for the treatment of hair loss.

Quantitative Analysis on the Scalp Hair Characteristics in Koreans using Phototrichogram / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Although the diagnosis of hair disease depends on the comparison of normal and abnormal findings, data on normal hair characteristics in Koreans have not been reported. We have developed some technical improvements on phototrichogram methodology to assess hair characteristics. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to quantify Koreans' hair characteristics at each site(eg. vertex, occipital, temporal) of the scalp according to the age and sex using the phototrichogram and to compare the differences of hair characteristics between Caucasian and Korean population. METHODS: Hairs in the precisely defined circle at each(vertex, temporal, occipital) area of the scalp in 42 healthy volunteers(16 men and 26 women) were evaluated according to sex and age groups, respectively. Each circumscribed area of the scalp, centered with a dot tattoo to ensure reproducibility, were first shaved: The shaven area was first photographed just after shaving. Two days later, grouping pattern of grouped hair unit, total and anagen hair counts were determined from low magnification image. The linear hair growth rate(micrometer/day) and hair shaft diameter were obtained from high magnification image. RESULTS: The results can be summarized as follows: 1. The range of hair density was 119+/-13/cm2~137+/-12/cm2 in male and 92+/-24/cm2~139+/-23/cm2 in female. Hair density of the occiput was significantly higher than that of temple. 2. The range of linear hair growth rate was 300+/-19micrometer/day~319+/-27micrometer/day in males and 289+/-17micrometer/day~327+/-54micrometer/day in females. Hair growth rate in each group decreased in order of vertex, occiput and temple. Most of the hairs on the vertex in older males have slower growth rate than in other groups. 3. The range of hair thickness was 70+/-6micrometer~89+/-10micrometer in males and 75+/-7micrometer~87+/-6micrometer in females. Hairs of the vertex in the older male group(age>or=45 year-old) were thinner than those of the occiput. The population of thin hair(<40micrometer) on the vertex in older males was 7.6% larger than that of other sites. 4. The range of anagen ratio was 91.0% ~ 93.7% in males and 91.9%~94.1% in females. CONCLUSIONS: Lower hair density, larger hair diameter and slower hair growth rate were remarkable in Koreans than in Caucasian. In addition, considering the hair characteristics of Koreans, the newer, improved method of phototrichogram will be a promising tool in the study of the hair disease including androgenetic alopecia, and in the quantitative analysis of the effects of agents stimulating hair growth.