Clinical, trichoscopic, and folliscopic identification of the impact of metabolic syndrome on the response to intradermal dutasteride 0.02% injection in patients with female pattern hair loss: a prospective cohort study.

Background: No studies investigating the impact of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in treatment response of female pattern hair loss (FPHL).

Objective: In this prospective cohort study, we studied the impact of MetS in response to intradermal dutasteride 0.02% injection in patients with FPHL.

Methods: Fifty-one adult participants with FPHL were classified into study cohorts: with MetS and comparison cohorts without MetS. Both groups underwent clinical, trichoschopic, and digital folliscopic evaluation. Treatment was scheduled over a period of 3 months as four weekly sessions, followed by another four bimonthly sessions. Response was evaluated by digital folliscopy, investigator's, and patient's self assessments at 1 and 3 months post-treatment. Side effects were evaluated.

Results: In participants with MetS, there was a significant reduction of the mean percentage of terminal hair with significant increase of the mean percentage of vellus hair ( = .003, .006, respectively) compared with participants without MetS at 1 month after treatment. These significant differences persisted at 3 months after treatment; for terminal and vellus hair ( = .000) with significant reduction in the mean hair thickness ( = .002) compared with participants without MetS.

Conclusions: MetS negatively impacted FPHL in terms of response to intradermal injection of dutasteride 0.02% and severity. Further studies are still needed.