Hair loss and hair regrowth

The cutaneous epidermal growth factor network: Can it be translated clinically to stimulate hair growth?
Doru T Alexandrescu MD1, C Lisa Kauffman MD1, Constantin A Dasanu MD PhD2
Dermatology Online Journal 15: 1

Exerpt:

...Cooperation of EGF with other molecules appears to be necessary, such as with the downregulation of TGF-α, but synergism with other effectors may be also required. For example, a long hair phenotype can be seen with a null FGF-5 (fibroblast growth factor 5) [17], whereas TGF-α repression, along with producing a wavy phenotype, stimulates the growth of hair. Prompting of hair growth by EGFR blockage is likely to represent a complex interplay that involves modulation of several other cellular mediators (Fig. 2)...

Hair Loss Treatment at the Proctor clinic.

Indian J Plast Surg. 2009 Jan-Jun;42(1):63-7.

Surgical treatment of secondary cicatricial alopecia of scalp and eyebrow.
Hassan AS.

Secondary cicatricial alopecia (hair loss) occurs as a result of destruction of hair follicles by scar tissue formed in the scalp and eyebrows. It is a permanent condition and regrowth of hairs in the area is not expected. The purpose of the study was to select the appropriate method for treating cicatricial alopecia. 24 patients were admitted to our hospital during the period from June 2006 to July 2007. They were suffering from acquired cicatricial alopecia affecting the scalp and the eyebrow. Their ages ranged from 6-48 years with mean age 26-25 years. They were treated surgically by total excision of the lesions with direct closure of the defect in ten cases, excision of alopecia with advancement flaps with the aid of scalp expanders in seven cases, scalp reduction through serial excision of alopecia in three cases and excision of alopecia and reconstruction of the defect by strip composite hair-bearing scalp grafts in four cases. Our results suggest there are three key factors that decide the surgical methods for treating hair loss: size, location and shape......

edited for blog use

Dermatol Surg.2009;35:1307

Successful treatment of temporal triangular alopecia by hair restoration surgery using follicular unit transplantation.
Wu WY, et al

Department of Dermatology and Skin Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

PMID: 19496794

Cell Stem Cell. 2009;5:232

Growth signaling at the nexus of stem cell life and death.
Wood KC, Sabatini DM.

Stress can activate tumor-suppressive mechanisms, causing the loss of adult stem cell function with age. In this issue of Cell Stem Cell and in Nature, Castilho et al. (2009) and Harrison et al. (2009) highlight the importance of mTOR signaling in stem cell exhaustion and mammalian aging, respectively.

Dr Proctor comments: One cause of age-related hair loss may be stem cell exhaustion in the hair follicle

Indian J Plast Surg.2009;42:63

Surgical treatment of secondary cicatricial hair loss of scalp and eyebrow.
Hassan AS.

Secondary cicatricial alopecia (hair loss) occurs as a result of destruction of hair follicles by scar tissue formed in the scalp and eyebrows. It is a permanent condition and regrowth of hairs in the area is not expected. The purpose of the study was to select the appropriate method for treating cicatricial hair loss. 24 patients were admitted to our hospital during the period from June 2006 to July 2007. They were suffering from acquired cicatricial alopecia affecting the scalp and the eyebrow. Their ages ranged from 6-48 years with mean age 26-25 years. They were treated by total excision of the lesions with direct closure of the defect in ten cases, excision of hreas of hair loss with advancement flaps with the aid of scalp expanders in seven cases, scalp reduction through serial excision of alopecia in three cases and excision of alopecia and reconstruction of the defect by strip composite hair-bearing scalp grafts in four cases. Our results suggest there are three key factors that decide the surgical methods for treating hair loss: size,snip....

edited for blog

Indian J Plast Surg.2009;42:63

Surgical treatment of secondary cicatricial hair loss of scalp and eyebrow.
Hassan AS.

Secondary cicatricial alopecia (hair loss) occurs as a result of destruction of hair follicles by scar tissue formed in the scalp and eyebrows. It is a permanent condition and regrowth of hairs in the area is not expected. The purpose of the study was to select the appropriate method for treating cicatricial hair loss. 24 patients were admitted to our hospital during the period from June 2006 to July 2007. They were suffering from acquired cicatricial alopecia affecting the scalp and the eyebrow. Their ages ranged from 6-48 years with mean age 26-25 years. They were treated by total excision of the lesions with direct closure of the defect in ten cases, excision of hreas of hair loss with advancement flaps with the aid of scalp expanders in seven cases, scalp reduction through serial excision of alopecia in three cases and excision of alopecia and reconstruction of the defect by strip composite hair-bearing scalp grafts in four cases. Our results suggest there are three key factors that decide the surgical methods for treating hair loss: size,snip....

edited for blog

Exp Dermatol.2005;14:692

Structural optimization of pep7, a small peptide extracted from epimorphin, for effective induction of hair follicle regrowth.
Hirai Y, et al

Epimorphin is representative of a unique class of stromal membrane-anchored proteins that plays distinct functions depending on its membrane topology. When exposed extracellularly, this molecule acts as a morphoregulator for various tissues including hair follicle epithelia. Previous study identified its functional domain for hair follicular regrwoth followed by the successful generation of a chemically modified active peptide. Here, we report optimization of this peptide by the introduction of sequential mutations and subsequent structural determination. We found that three residues from the C-terminus are dispensable, and alternation of the seventh amino acid to an Alanine residue enhanced activity. ..snip.. The action of this EPM peptide was more apparent in mice treated with 1% minoxidil, suggesting its potential clinical benefit as a new type of hair-regrowth inducing agent.

Exp Dermatol.2005;14:692

Structural optimization of pep7, a small peptide extracted from epimorphin, for effective induction of hair follicle regrowth.
Hirai Y, et al

Epimorphin is representative of a unique class of stromal membrane-anchored proteins that plays distinct functions depending on its membrane topology. When exposed extracellularly, this molecule acts as a morphoregulator for various tissues including hair follicle epithelia. Previous study identified its functional domain for hair follicular regrwoth followed by the successful generation of a chemically modified active peptide. Here, we report optimization of this peptide by the introduction of sequential mutations and subsequent structural determination. We found that three residues from the C-terminus are dispensable, and alternation of the seventh amino acid to an Alanine residue enhanced activity. ..snip.. The action of this EPM peptide was more apparent in mice treated with 1% minoxidil, suggesting its potential clinical benefit as a new type of hair-regrowth inducing agent.

Pflege Z.2009;62(8):495

Recognizing and understanding medical disorders: hair loss as primary symptom
[
Lindner UK.

J Cutan Pathol. 2009;36:1303

A case report of inflammatory nonscarring alopecia associated with the epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor erlotinib.
Pongpudpunth M,et al

Epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRIs) are new anticancer agents that act by inhibiting EGFR signaling transduction pathways, thus decreasing tumor growth. In more than 30 countries, EGFRIs are currently used in the treatment of a number of solid tumors,.... snip.... In the United States, select EGFRIs have been approved in the treatment of certain patients with non-small cell lung cancer, metastatic colorectal carcinoma, and advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Various cutaneous side effects of EGFRIs have been reported, including acneiform eruptions, chronic paronychia, xerosis, a seborrheic dermatitis-like eruption, changes in hair texture, and nonscarring alopecia (hair loss). We present a 60-year-old woman with non-small cell lung cancer who developed a persistent generalized itchy eruption and progressive nonscarring hair loss shortly after initiation of erlotinib (Tarceva). Scalp biopsy showed near-equal number of anagen and catagen/telogen hair follicles, and a superficial and deep perivascular lymphoplasmocytic infiltration. These changes are typical of the nonscarring alopecia induced by EGFRIs. snip..

edited

Support Care Cancer. 2009 Feb;17(2):181-9. Epub 2008 Jun 17.

Scalp cooling to prevent chemotherapy-induced hair loss: practical and clinical considerations.
Mols F,

Edited for hairloss blog use

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this prospective multicenter study was to obtain insight into the severity and burden of hair loss among cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. In addition, we described the effectiveness and burden of scalp cooling and the satisfaction with wigs, with hair regrowth, and with body image. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Breast cancer patients treated with and without scalp cooling completed questionnaires before chemotherapy and 3 weeks and 6 months after completion of chemotherapy. RESULTS: Scalp cooling was effective in preventing chemotherapy-induced hair loss in 32 of 62 available patients (52%). Even though patients knew hair loss was temporary, it was a burden to 54% of them. Scalp cooling was a burden for only 33%. Most patients who used a wig or head cover were satisfied with it. Patients were moderately satisfied with the regrowth of their hair after chemotherapy. Successfully cooled patients rated their hair as less important for their body image compared to patients who did experience hair loss. DISCUSSION: Chemotherapy-induced hair loss is perceived as burdensome. It may be prevented by scalp cooling which is often an effective method to prevent this form of hair loss and is tolerated well by patients. However, if possible, scalp-cooling techniques should be improved and their effectiveness should be increased because if scalp cooling is unsuccessful, patients' rate their hair loss as more burdensome compared to noncooled patients.

PMID: 18560904 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Clark H, Sturm E., THE PRODUCTION OF PERSISTENT ALOPECIA IN RABBITS BY X-RAYS OF VARIOUS DEGREES OF HARDNESS. J Exp Med.1925;42:517

Dr Proctor notes for blog: This is the first research report I can locate concerning radiation-induced hair loss in experimental animals