A Clinical Study of Androgenic Alopecia (VII) / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Androgenic alopecia (AGA) is characterized by the local and gradual transformation of terminal scalp hair into vellus hair, which has a shorter and thinner shaft. It is the most common form of hair loss in people with a genetic predisposition for baldness. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, AGA type, family history, co-morbidity diseases, stress factors and endocrine factors of AGA patients. METHODS: We examined a total of 432 male and female AGA patients who visited for two years at the Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Chung-Ang University. RESULTS: There were 2.06 times more men (291 patients) than women (141 patients) among the study subjects. Most of the men were in their twenties (108, 37.1%), however, most of the women were in their forties (42, 29.7%). In the 291 male patients, Norwood class IIIv was dominant (120 patients, 41.2%). In the 141 female patients, Ludwig class I was dominant (87 patients, 61.7%). 219 (75.2%) of the 291 male patients and 81 (73.6%) of the 141 female patients had a family history of AGA. 224 (76.9%) of the 291 male patients and 101 (53.4%) of the 141 female patients had a co-morbidity disorder. The most common among these disorders in both the male and female patients was seborrheic dermatitis. Stress factors were observed in 162 (55.6%) of the 291 male patients and in 78 (55.3%) of the 141 female patients. The most common stress factor in both the male and female patients was work tasks. The serum testosterone levels was increased in 51 (17.5%) of the 291 male patients and in 20 (14.1%) of the 141 female patients. CONCLUSION: Most of the study results are compatible with those of our previous study. Yet the following results were different (1) the number of female AGA patients in their forties is increasing; and (2) stress was found to be associated with AGA in both the male and female patients.