Hair loss treatment

Mymensingh Med J. 2010;19:100

Histopathological changes in different stages of ha r loss due to alopecia areata.
Ahmed Z, et al

Hair loss due to alopecia areata is a common disorder affecting any of the hair bearing areas of the body. Most of the cases are diagnosed on the clinical ground only. Histopathological changes may help in the diagnosis in difficult cases. The present study was designed to observe the histopathologic changes accompanying hair loss in alopecia areata at different stages. Thirty consecutive patients suffering from alopecia areata were enrolled. Face to face interview was performed using a structured pre-tested questionnaire. At the initial visit, one 4mm punch scalp biopsy specimen was taken from an area of hair loss. ....Haematoxylin and eosin stains were used. Anagen hairs were decreased in all stages of hair loss due to alopecia areata. Telogen hairs increased in acute and chronic stages whereas catagen hairs increased markedly in sub-acute stage. Although miniaturized (atrophic) follicle was frequently found in chronic stage. It was absent in acute and sub-acute stages. Moderate to dense peribulbar infiltration of lymphocytes were observed in acute stage and mild to moderate infiltration in sub-acute stage. In chronic stage either no or mild infiltrations were observed. Peribulbar infiltration of eosinophils and macrophages were seen in all stages of alopecia areata. Alopecia areata can be diagnosed with some confidence, even when inflammatory infiltrate is absent, based on increased numbers of telogen hairs in the acute and chronic stages, increased miniaturized hairs in chronic stage and markedly increased catagen hairs in sub-acute stage.

edited for hair loss blog use. Key words hair regrowth hair loss hair loss treatment.

Clin Ophthalmol. 2010 Apr 26;4:349.

Bimatoprost in the treatment of eyelash hair loss.
Law SK.

Editd for hair loss treatment blog

Abstract
Eyelashes hypotrichosis is a condition indicated by an inadequate amount of eyelashes. Hypertrichosis of eyelashes, characterized by excessive eyelash hair growth, is a regular phenomenon associated with ophthalmic prostaglandin and prostamide analogs. Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration approved Latisse((R)) (bimatoprost 0.03% solution), identical to the ophthalmic solution for glaucoma treatment, for increasing eyelash hair length, thickness and darkness in patients with hypotrichosis of the eyelashes. When prostaglandin and prostamide analogs interact with the prostanoid receptors in the hair follicle, this most likely stimulates the resting follicles (telogen phase) to growing follicles (anagen phase). Prostaglandin and prostamide analogs may also prolong the anagen phase of eyelashes, leading to an increase of eyelash length. Although bimatoprost is effective in promoting increased regrowth of healthy eyelashes and adnexal hairs, its effectiveness in patients with eyelash hair loss due to alopecia areata is debatable and its protective effect is not yet studied in patients with eyelash loss secondary to radiation or chemotherapy. Bimatoprost is generally safe when applied to the base of the eyelashes at the lid margin with minimum side effects. However, other ocular or systemic side effects associated with ophthalmic prostaglandin and prostamide analogs may occur when instilled on the surface of the eye, and patients must be informed and monitored.

Br J Dermatol. 2009 Aug;161:228

Epidermal stem cells: practical perspectives and potential uses.
Abbas O, Mahalingam M.

Modified for hair loss blog

Throughout adult life, the epidermis and the hair follicle undergo a perpetual cycle of regrowth, regression and rest. Stem cells in the epidermis not only ensure the maintenance of epidermal homeostasis and hair regrowth, but also contribute to repair of the epidermis after injury. These stem cells lie within specific niches in the hair follicle and the epidermis. The availability of monoclonal antibodies that can be used on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue has greatly facilitated the use of this methodology as an adjunct to uncovering stem cell niches. In this review, we attempt to provide an overview of the potential markers available to identify and study stem cells in an effort to providing a better understanding of the pathogenesis of skin diseases including disorders of hair loss and malignancies. The potential uses of these markers in prognosis and in expanding the treatment options in several hair loss disorders will also be addressed.

Ketyword hair regrowth hair loss treatment

Indian J Plast Surg.2009;42:63.
Surgical treatment of secondary cicatricial hair loss of scalp and eyebrow
Ahmed Sabry Hassan

edited for hair loss treatment blog

Introduction: The scalp is probably the second most visible part of the human anatomy second only to the face. Aesthetic considerations are extremely important in devising any plan for the restitution of the scalp. The eyebrows are a very noticeable structure and make an essential contribution to facial beauty. Areas of hair loss may result from traumatic, thermal, radiation, neoplastic or infective process. The surgical replacement of hair has progressively become an important part of the practice of plastic surgery. Hair loss following extensive scarring of the scalp can be treated by transferring hair bearing parieto-occipital flaps if convenient or adjacent hair-bearing scalp after tissue expansion. Awaiting stem cell research in this vital field of aesthetic surgery there is no known method to create new hair, and all current techniques for hair loss restoration involve redistributing the patient's existing hair. Many techniques were used for treating hair loss surgically such as scalp reduction, hair grafting, the use of local flaps and the use of tissue expanders.

Hia rloss treatment and regrowth

Vet Dermatol. 2006 Feb;17:45.

....melatonin and brushing on hair regrowth after clipping normal Siberian Husky dogs.
Diaz SF, et al

The aims of this study were to determine the impact of body site, vigorous brushing and topical melatonin treatment on hair regrowth after clipping normal dogs. Siberian Husky dogs were randomly assigned to three groups of eight dogs each. All dogs had the lumbosacral region and both lateral thighs clipped. The left thigh and lumbosacral area received no treatment and were compared in all 24 dogs. Eight dogs had the right thigh treated with 0.1% melatonin twice daily for 2 months, and hair regrowth was compared with the left thigh. Eight dogs had the right thigh brushed twice daily for 2 months, and hair regrowth was compared with the left thigh. Eight dogs had neither thigh treated. Hairs were plucked before and 2 months postclipping, and the proportion of hair growth from the original length was calculated and compared as described above. Biopsy samples were collected before and after treatment to determine if brushing induced dermal inflammation and melatonin increased the proportion of anagen follicles. Proportionally, left thigh hairs were significantly longer compared to lumbosacral hairs 2 months postclipping. No significant differences in hair regrowth were noted between the nontreated thigh and the thigh treated with melatonin or brushed. No significant difference in dermal inflammation was noted before and after brushing. No significant differences were observed in the proportion of anagen follicles before and after topical melatonin treatment. Our results showed that the hairs in the lumbosacral region were proportionally shorter than lateral thigh hairs 2 months postclipping. Moreover, topical melatonin and brushing had no impact on hair regrowth after clipping normal dogs.

Hiar loss treatment and hair regrowth

Br J Dermatol. 2010 May 25.

Intermediate hair follicles: a new more clinically relevant model for hair regrowth investigations.
Miranda BH, et al

Edited for hair loss treatment blog

Abstract
ABSTRACT Background: Alopecia ( hair loss ) causes widespread psychological distress, but is relatively poorly controlled. The development of new hair loss treatments is hampered by the lack of suitable human hair follicle models. Although intermediate and vellus hair follicles are the main clinical target for pharmacological therapy, terminal hair follicles are more frequently studied as smaller hair follicles are more difficult to obtain. Objectives: This investigation was designed to quantify in vivo morphological and in vitro behavioural differences in organ culture between matched intermediate and terminal hair follicles, in order to develop a new clinically-relevant model system. Methods: Microdissected terminal and intermediate hair follicles, from the same individuals, were analysed morphometrically (250 follicles; 5 individuals), or observed and measured over 9 days of organ culture (210 follicles; 6 individuals). Results: Intermediate hair follicles were less pigmented and smaller, penetrating less below the skin surface, with smaller fibre, connective tissue sheath, bulb and dermal papilla diameters. Intermediate hair follicle bulbs appeared 'tubular' unlike their 'bulbous' terminal follicle counterparts. In organ culture they also grew more slowly, remained in anagen longe and produced less hair fibre than terminal follicles. Conclusions: Smaller intermediate hair follicles showed major morphological differences to terminal follicles and retained significant, biologically-relevant differences in vitro in organ culture. Therefore, intermediate hair follicles offer a novel, exciting, more clinically-relevant, albeit technically difficult, model for future investigations into hair growth. This should be particularly important for developing new treatmens for hair loss.

Calif Med. 1958;89:322.

Noncicatrizing alopecias; with special reference to hair loss due to alopecia areata.
NEW WN, NICKEL WR.

edited for blog use

....there has been general acceptance of the causal relationship of the male sex hormone testosterone, age and inheritance in development of male pattern baldness. snip... Hair loss that accompanies disease states is probably due to generalized toxemia and disturbances in metabolism. Sometimes male pattern baldness occurs in physiologic states, as exemplified by diffuse hair loss occasionally in the postpartum period. snip... The development of alopecia totalis or universalis in 50 per cent of the prepuberal cases of alopecia areata is of real significance, especially since so very few patients regrow normal scalp hair....snip... A few conditions simulate alopecia areata. Probably the ones which are seen most often are trichotillomania and patchy baldness caused by agents used in hair waving and straightening. In 22 cases we found an inflammatory perivascular and perifollicular infiltrate, massive plugging of the ostia, disappearance of robust hair follicles and diminution in total number of hair follicles and sometimes fibrosis are not necessarily diagnostic of alopecia areata but seem to be very definitely characteristic.Treatment for hair regrowth in alopecia areata is of little avail. snip....

FASEB J. 1992;6:911

Interleukin 1 protects hair follicles from ARA-C-induced hair loss in vivo and in vitro.
Jimenez JJ,

ImuVert, a biologic response modifier, and interleukin 1 (IL 1) have been shown to protect the young rat from hair loss induced by ARA-C. In the present study the inhibition by ARA-C of DNA synthesis in hair follicles and the protective effect of ImuVert and IL 1 were investigated in vivo and in vitro. Both ImuVert and IL 1 were equally effective in protecting rats from ARA-C-induced hair loss. DNA synthesis in HFs isolated from ARA-C-treated animals was 10-20% of untreated controls. Follicles isolated from animals given either ImuVert or IL 1 before ARA-C exhibited normal DNA synthesis. In vitro, the incubation of normal rat HF with ARA-C resulted in 80% inhibition of thymidine uptake. .....

edited for hair regrowth and hair loss blog

J Am Acad Dermatol. 2010 Feb;62:177

Alopecia areata update: part I. Clinical picture, histopathology, and pathogenesis.
Alkhalifah A, et al

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease that presents as nonscarring hair loss, although the exact pathogenesis of the disease remains to be clarified. Disease prevalence rates from 0.1% to 0.2% have been estimated for the United States. AA can affect any hair-bearing area. It often presents as well demarcated patches of nonscarring hair loss on skin of overtly normal appearance. Recently, newer clinical variants have been described. The presence of AA is associated with a higher frequency of other autoimmune diseases. Controversially, there may also be increased psychiatric morbidity in patients with AA. Although some AA features are known poor prognostic signs, the course of the disease is unpredictable and the response to treatment can be variable. Part one of this two-part series on AA describes the clinical presentation and the associated histopathologic picture. It also proposes a hypothesis for AA development based on the most recent knowledge of disease pathogenesis. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After completing this learning activity, participants should be familiar with the most recent advances in AA pathogenesis, recognize the rare and recently described variants of AA, and be able to distinguish between different histopathologic stages of AA..
hair regrowth

J Dermatol Sci. 2010;58:43. Epub 2010.

Laminin-511, inducer of hair regrowth, is down-regulated and its suppressor in hair growth, laminin-332 up-regulated in chemotherapy-induced hair loss.
Imanishi H, et al

Chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) or hair loss has a devastating cosmetic effect, especially in the young. Recent data indicate that two major basement membrane components (laminin-332 and -511) of the skin have opposing effects on hair growth. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we examined the role and localization of laminin-332 and -511 in CIA. METHODS: We examined the expression of laminin-332 and -511 during the dystrophic catagen form of CIA induced in C57BL/6 mice by cyclophosphamide (CYP) treatment. RESULTS: Our data indicate that both laminin-332 and its receptor alpha 6 beta 4 integrin are up-regulated (both quantitatively and spatially) after mid to late dystrophic catagen around the outer root sheath (ORS) in the lower third of hair follicles in CIA. This up-regulation also occurs at the transcriptional level. In contrast, laminin-511 is down-regulated after mid dystrophic catagen at the protein level, with transcriptional inactivation of laminin-511 occurring transiently at the early dystrophic catagen stage in both epidermal and ORS keratinocytes. Laminin-511 expression correlates with expression of alpha 3 integrin in CIA and we also demonstrate that laminin-511 can up-regulate the activity of the alpha 3 integrin promoter in cultured keratinocytes. Injection of a laminin-511 rich protein extract, but not recombinant laminin-332, in the back skin of mice delays hair loss in CYP-induced CIA. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that abrupt hair loss in CIA is, at least in part, caused by down-regulation of laminin-511 and up-regulation of laminin-332 at the transcriptional and translational levels.