[Hormones and hair growth].

With respect to the relationship between hormones and hair growth, the role of androgens for androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and hirsutism is best acknowledged. Accordingly, therapeutic strategies that intervene in androgen metabolism have been successfully developed for treatment of these conditions. Clinical observations of hair conditions involving hormones beyond the androgen horizon have determined their role in regulation of hair growth: estrogens, prolactin, thyroid hormone, cortisone, growth hormone (GH), and melatonin.

Systematic approach to hair loss in women.

Diffuse hair loss is a common complaint and cause of significant emotional distress particularly in women. The best way to alleviate the anxiety is to effectively treat the hair loss. It is paramount to address the symptom systematically.

Chemotherapy-induced alopecia.

Few dermatologic conditions carry as much emotional distress as chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA). The prerequisite for successful development of strategies for CIA prevention is the understanding of the pathobiology of CIA. The incidence and severity of CIA are variable and related to the particular chemotherapeutic protocol.

[Hypertrichosis].

Hypertrichosis denotes growth of hair on any part of the body in excess of the amount usually present in persons of the same age, race, and sex, excluding androgen-dependent hair growth. Hypertrichosis may be an isolated finding or associated with a syndrome, be associated with additional congenital anomalies or a marker for systemic disease. In order to diagnose it accurately, the age of onset, type, localization and pattern of hair growth, associated disorders, medications and perhaps associated anomalies and family history should be considered.

[Skin and collagen vascular diseases].

Dermatology and rheumatology have in common that many rheumatologic diseases manifest with distinct clinical presentations on the skin. Since the skin is easily accessible both to physical examination and biopsy, rheumatologists appreciate to consult with dermatologists with experience in the clinical and pathological aspects of the rheumatic diseases with skin manifestations. Though the medical subspecialities show a tendency to an organ-particular focus, dermatologists traditionally have a multidisciplinary approach to patients and tend to communicate in a cross-disciplinary way.

Pharmacologic interventions in aging hair.

The appearance of hair plays an important role in people's overall physical appearance and self-perception. With today's increasing life-expectations, the desire to look youthful plays a bigger role than ever. The hair care industry has become aware of this and is delivering active products directed towards meeting this consumer demand.

Shampoos: ingredients, efficacy and adverse effects.

Shampoos are the most frequently prescribed treatment for the hair and scalp. The different qualities demanded from a shampoo go beyond cleansing. A cosmetic benefit is expected, and the shampoo has to be tailored to variations associated with hair quality, age, hair care habits, and specific problems related to the condition of the scalp.

Aging of hair.

The appearance of hair plays an important role in people's overall physical appearance and self-perception. With today's increasing life expectation, the desire to look youthful plays a bigger role than ever. The hair care industry has become aware of this and also more capable to deliver active products that are directed toward meeting this consumer demand.

[Aging of skin and hair].

Anti-aging medicine is dedicated to the advancement of technology to detect, prevent, and treat aging related disease and to promote research into methods to retard and optimize the aging process. Dermatology offers good basics for rational preventive and therapeutic anti-aging strategies. The role of the skin in anti-aging medicine is not merely that aging is most obvious on the skin, but that the skin is a highly accessible and unique organ that offers unequaled opportunities to the gerontologist for the study of age-related effects.

Dermocosmetic aspects of hair and scalp.

Hair cosmetic agents are preparations intended for placing in contact with the hair and scalp, with the purpose of cleansing, promoting attractiveness, altering appearance, and/or protecting them in order to maintain them in good condition. Current shampoo formulations and styling products are tailored to the variations associated with age, gender, hair quality, hair care habit, and specific problems relating to the superficial condition of the scalp. The great amount of variables to be accounted for, some of them contradictory and hard to bring into accord, makes adequate product formulation a challenge and requires continuous research.

Finasteride treatment of patterned hair loss in normoandrogenic postmenopausal women.

Background: Finasteride, an inhibitor of type 2 5alpha-reductase, inhibits conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, resulting in a decrease in serum and scalp dihydrotestosterone levels believed to be pathogenic in androgenetic alopecia. Oral finasteride has been shown to be effective in the treatment of hair loss in men, while its efficacy in women has remained controversial.

Methods: 5 postmenopausal women without clinical or laboratory signs of hyperandrogenism were given 2.

[Hair loss].

Hair loss includes excessive shedding of hair (effluvium) and the alopecias, in which there is a decrease in the amount of hair. Both may occur diffusely, or in a circumscribed manner. The localization and pattern of circumscribed hair loss may give a clue to its cause.

[Cutaneous manifestations of internal diseases: purpura, livedo, pyoderma gangrenosum].

Dermatology and internal medicine have in common that many systemic diseases manifest with skin symptoms that are easily accessible for both diagnostic and investigative procedures. Even if modern practice of medicine tends towards organ specific particularity of specialists, dermatology traditionally strives for interdisciplinary communication. Cutaneous manifestations of internal diseases present in various forms.

[New and established methods in therapy of hair diseases].

Recently rational drug therapy and potent technologies have been introduced for the treatment of the most frequent hair problems, i.e. finasteride in the treatment of male pattern hair loss, and laser-assisted hair removal systems for hypertrichosis and hirsutism.