Female Pattern Hair Loss: a clinical and pathophysiological review

AbstractFemale Pattern Hair Loss or female androgenetic alopecia is the main cause of hair loss in adult women and has a major impact on patients' quality of life. It evolves from the progressive miniaturization of follicles that lead to a subsequent decrease of the hair density, leading to a non-scarring diffuse alopecia, with characteristic clinical, dermoscopic and histological patterns. In spite of the high frequency of the disease and the relevance of its psychological impact, its pathogenesis is not yet fully understood, being influenced by genetic, hormonal and environmental factors. In addition, response to treatment is variable. In this article, authors discuss the main clinical, epidemiological and pathophysiological aspects of female pattern hair loss.

Características clínicas, endocrinas y metabólicas de una población argentina de niñas con pubarca prematura / Clinical, hormonal and metabolic findings in argentinean girls with premature pubarche

La pubarca prematura se ha asociado con alteraciones hormonales y metabólicas. Se estudiaron 40 niñas con pubarca prematura de 7,23 ± 0,29 años (media ± ESM). Se evaluó grado de desarrollo, talla, edad ósea, IMC y peso al nacimiento (PN). Se dosaron andrógenos, gonadotrofinas, lípidos, glucemia e insulina, HOMA e índice glucemia/insulina (G/I) y se compararon con un grupo control normal de 25 niñas. Las pacientes se dividieron según el nivel de sulfato de dehidroepiandrosterona (SDHEA) en dos grupos, Pre A (Pre adrenarca), < 400 ng/ml, n= 17 y Post A (Post adrenarca) < 400 ng/ml , n= 23. El grupo Post A tuvo mayor edad cronológica, edad ósea y grado de vello pubiano que el Pre A, sin diferencias en IMC ni en peso de nacimiento (PN). Insulina y HOMA fueron mayores y G/I menor en Post A que en Pre A y grupo control. Dos niñas en Post A tuvieron franca resistencia a la insulina. 64 % de las niñas en Pre A y 59 % en Post A tuvieron valores elevados o limítrofes de colesterol total (CT). Conclusiones: el grupo Post A presentó menor sensibilidad insulínica y ambos grupos de pacientes tuvieron valores de CT elevados, alteraciones que podrían favorecer el riesgo de futuras complicaciones. Se recomienda el seguimiento a largo plazo de todas las niñas con pubarca prematura.

Precocious pubarche in girls is caused by premature adrenarche in most cases. Less frequently it occurs in absence of biochemical markers of adrenarche being ascribed to increased target tissue sensitivity. Premature pubarche with pronounced adrenarche has been associated with insulin resistance and dyslipemia, especially in girls with history of low birth weight. Most studies have been conducted in hispanic and affrican-american patients. We studied a total of 40 argentinean girls with isolated premature pubarche, aged 7.23 ± 0.29 years (mean ± SEM) at the moment of diagnosis. Grade of sexual development, height, weight, BMI and birth weight (BW) were recorded. Dehidroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), androstenedione (A), testosterone (T), 17OH progesterone (17 OHP), SHBG, LH, FSH, PRL and estradiol were measured. Total cholesterol (TC), LDL cholesterol (LDL- C), triglycerides (TGC), glucose, insulin, HOMA and fasting glucose/ insulin index (G/I) were evaluated and compared with those in a control group of 25 normal girls. Patients were divided into two groups: Pre A (Pre adrenarche), with DHEAS < 400 ng/ml, and Post A (Post adrenarche), with DHEAS > 400 ng/ml. Post A girls had higher chronological age, bone age advancement and grade of pubic hair development than Pre A girls. No difference was found regarding BMI or BW. Besides higher DHEAS levels, Post A girls showed elevated A and 17OHP levels than Pre A girls (86 ± 8 vs 35 ± 4 ng/dl, p<0. 0001 and 1.1 ± 0.09 vs 0.75 ± 0.07 ng/ml, p< 0.01, respectively). Insulin levels (µUI/ml) were 4.51 ± 0.75 in Pre A, 6.53 ± 1.11 in Post A and 4.05 ± 0.45 in control group. Fasting G/I was 24.07 ± 3.75 in Pre A , 18.4 ± 2.34 in Post A and 25.41 ± 2.31 in controls. HOMA was 0.90 ± 0.12 in Pre A, 1.35 ± 0.22 in Post A and 0.89 ± 0.11 in control group. Post A girls had higher insulin and HOMA and lower G/I than control group girls (p<0.05) while those parameters in Pre A girls were not different than in normal control subjects. Only two patients in Post A group had HOMA and G/I consistent with insulin resistance. TC was higher in Pre A than in control group (182.2 ± 4.9 vs156.7 ± 8.5 mg/dl, p<0.05). According to The National Cholesterol Education Program definition, 64 % of Pre A girls and 59 % of Post A girls had elevated or borderline TC levels. TGC values were not different among Pre A, Post A and control group (81.1 ±7.1, 77.6 ± 6.1 and 71.9 ± 4.7 mg/dl, respectively. Summary and Conclusions: In this cohort of argentinean girls with premature pubarche, we did not find a significant history of intrauterine growth retardation. Patients with biochemical pattern of adrenarche showed clinical signs of androgen exposure (accelerated bone age, more advanced degree of pubic hair development) and a serum profile suggestive of reduced insulin sensitivity compared with those without biochemical adrenarche. Both groups of patients had undesirable total cholesterol levels. These findings support the recommendation of long-term follow-up for all girls with premature pubarche.

Effects of perming, combing and stretching on hair keratins / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#Research of the hair damage due to perming, combing and stretching can be of important value for forensic hair individual identification.@*METHODS@#The normal human hairs were treated with perming combing and stretching, and the keratins of the damage hair were analysed by using SDS-PAGGE and laser densimeter.@*RESULTS@#Perming, combing and stretching brought about hair damage; The keratins of the damage hair were obviously reduced at the rang of molecular weight of 67,000-43,000 dalton.@*CONCLUSION@#The loss of the damage hair keratins were increased with the degree of the hair damage.

Zinc, copper, chromium, manganese and magnesium levels in serum and hair of Insulin - dependent diabetics

Direct association of trace and macro-elements in relation to human disease has been observed in many research studies. In many cases, an alteration in the metabolism of these minerals has been demonstrated. In this investigation, the serum and hair levels of the trace elements zinc [Zn], copper [Cu], chromium [Cr], manganese [Mn] and the macro-element magnesium [Mg] were determined in 40 subjects [20 insulin-dependent diabetics and 20 controls]. Samples were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometric methods. Serum levels for Zn were lower in the patient groups in comparison to the controls [p<0.01], however, Zn levels in hair follicles were not found to be statistically different. Serum Cu levels were significantly higher in diabetic subjects [p<0.008] where as hair levels were unaltered. Comparison of levels of Cr in hair samples revealed a significant difference between patients and controls [p=0.001]. Serum Mn evaluation revealed no significant difference between mean levels of controls and patients [p<0.96], but hair follicle analysis revealed a significant difference between the two groups. For Mg, statistical analysis indicated a significant difference in the two groups of serum levels [p<0.0007], with hair samples showing no significant difference [p<0.01]. These results are consistent with results obtained by some other researchers

Doença de Conradi (condrodisplasia pontuada congênita): relato de caso / Conradi's disease (chondrodysplasia congenita punctata): a case report

A doença de Conradi ou condrodisplasia pontuada congênita) é defeito multissistêmico com alteraçöes em órgäos como pele, ossos, olhos e coraçäo. Os autores relatam um caso dessa rara entidade acompanhado desde o nascimento até um ano de idade. Trata-se de criança do sexo feminino com lesöes cutâneas características desde o nascimento (eritrodermia ictiosiforme com escamas ásperas, aderentes e onduladas) que apresentaram melhora espontânea e resultaram em atrofia folicular. Os cabelos permaneceram rarefeitos, ásperos e foscos. Também foram observados encurtamento dos membros, luxaçäo coxofemoral bilateral, escoliose, palato ogival e epicanto. O desenvolvimento psicomotor e a expectativa de vida eram normais, e a paciente foi entäo classificada como portadora de condrodisplasia congênita pontuada dominante ligada ao X (Happle)

Relationship between liver cancer and trace metals scalp hair

The aim of this investigation was to use scalp hair as a possible indicator of trace element abnormality and to ascertain whether or not differences in their levels may occur due to liver cancer and subsequent treatment. The concentration of Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, Zn, Ca, and Mg were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. This study showed higher average concentrations of Cu, Fe, Mn, and Mg in normal, as compared with diseased male subjects. Levels of Pb, however, were lower in normal male subjects as compared to the diseased male patients. Diseased female patients showed lower concentrations of Fe, Ca and Mg, as compared to normal female subjects. Levels of Ni and Zn were higher in diseased, as compared to the normal females. The correlation coefficient study did not reveal strong positive correlation between any trace elements in diseased and normal subjects. However, the regression equation showed a significant role of Ca, Fe, Mg and Zn in scalp hair. of normal and diseased subjects. T-test analysis showed distinct Fe and Mg levels for each male and female groups. Hence, Fe and Mg may perhaps play an important role in the diseased and normal subjects

Análise dos cabelos eliminados espontaneamente / Analysis of the spontaneously fallen hair

A análise dos cabelos eliminados espontaneamente faz parte de um grupo de exames propedêuticos para o diagnóstico das alopecias. Em algumas patologias esse exame se torna primordial para o diagnóstico. Neste trabalho säo discutidas forma de coleta dos cabelos, técnica de leitura e interpretaçöes.

O tricograma: Parte II. Resultados e interpretaçäo / The trichogram: Part II. Results and interpretation

O tricograma é um exame que avalia o ciclo de crescimento do cabelo. Desta forma pode ser usado para o diagnóstico, evoluçäo e prognóstico de um processo patológico, bem como parâmetro para avaliar o uso de drogas em tricologia e cancerologia