Androgenetic alopecia: causes and treatment of the disease

Androgenetic alopecia – is a progressive hair loss caused by the aggressive action of androgen synthesis products on the hair follicles. More often androgenetic alopecia – This is baldness in men with a hereditary predisposition and begins at any age after puberty. Women also suffer from this type of baldness, but it manifests itself clinically at an older age. In 40% of cases, this occurs in 60-70 years.

Causes of hair loss

Testosterone, produced in the testes, is the main androgen in the male body. Women also produce androgens (androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone), but the adrenal glands and ovaries. After a long way of synthesis (in the liver and under the influence of 5-&-reductase in keratinocytes), androgens are converted into dihydrotestosterone.

Under the influence of androenes, the hair follicles of terminal hairs can undergo changes and become shorter and thinner, similar to vellus. Clinically, this is expressed in a gradual recession of the hairline at the temples. In the future, the hair thins and falls out at the crown. The rim of the hair is preserved on the occipital region, because. over time, these follicles generally atrophy.

In our body, hair loss is regulated by the hormone dihydrotestosterone, which is formed from testosterone. It is this hormone that stimulates the growth of androgen-dependent hair (on the face and in the pubic area) and the loss of androgen-independent hair (on the scalp).

Simultaneously with androgenic alopecia of the scalp, another process occurs. In vellus hair follicles, under the influence of androgens, the opposite process occurs. In these places, the growth of terminal hair is stimulated. Clinically, this is expressed in increased hair growth in areas such as the face, axillary and groin.

There are five stages in the disease:

I) hair loss along the anterior border of the hairline
II) formation of symmetrical bilateral bald patches in the forehead and hair thinning in the parietal zone
III-IV)V) progressive severe thinning and hair loss on the forehead and crown with the formation of confluent foci of alopecia? symmetrical on both sides.

Hair treatment for hair loss. How to stop hair loss?

Taking drugs from the Minoxidil group gives a good therapeutic effect. However, it is worth remembering that after stopping the medication, the pathological condition will resume.

Currently, the most effective treatment for hair loss is hair transplantation.