Nonsurgical therapy for hair loss.

This article is an update of the currently available options for medical therapies to treat androgenetic alopecia in men and women. Emerging novel therapeutic modalities with potential for treating these patients are discussed. Because androgenetic alopecia is progressive in nature, stabilization of the process using medical therapy is an important adjunct to any surgical hair-restoration plan.

Caspase-1 level is higher in the scalp in androgenetic alopecia.

Background And Objectives: Inflammasomes that activate caspase-1 govern the innate immune inflammatory response. Whether hair loss associated with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) involves caspase-1 activation is not known.

Methods: Immunohistochemical staining for caspase-1 was performed on scalp tissue sections, and protein lysates were analyzed from individuals with AGA (no treatment), and individuals with AGA taking finasteride with apparent hair growth, individuals with AGA taking finasteride without noted hair growth, and normal controls.

Naturally occurring female hairline patterns.

Background: Hair transplantation is gaining popularity in women. Although much has been written about hairline design in male patients, more information is needed about natural female hairlines.

Objective: To determine the frequency, dimensions, and location of structures that compose the female hairline.

Techniques to reduce pain associated with hair transplantation: optimizing anesthesia and analgesia.

The importance of pain control in hair transplantation cannot be overemphasized. Adequate preoperative sedation to reduce anxiety, raise pain threshold, and induce amnesia is fundamental to minimizing operative pain. Most of the pain associated with the procedure results from injection of the local anesthetic.

Effects of finasteride on apoptosis and regulation of the human hair cycle.

Background: A number of studies have provided evidence that apoptosis is a central element in the regulation of hair follicle regression. In androgenetic alopecia (AGA), the exact location and control of key players in the apoptotic pathways remains obscure.

Objective: In the present study, we used a panel of antibodies and investigated the spatial and cellular pattern of expression of caspases and inhibitors of apoptosis (IAPs), such as XIAP and FLIP, in men with normal scalp and in men with AGA before and after 6 months of treatment with 1 mg oral finasteride treatment.