Abstract
Our modern society faces an increasing life-expectation, and along with this, an increased desire for a youthful appearance. Hair plays a major role in our overall appearance, our self-conception and self-esteem. The experience of hair loss is distressing at any age and can reveal our aging process. Aging hair becomes more fragile, is thinner and sparser, and shows decreased growth rates. Age-related hair problems include senescent alopecia, androgenetic alopecia, graying, and weathering. Treatment option for androgenetic alopecia and senescent alopecia include, among others, topical minoxidil, oral finasteride, and hair restoration surgery. Hair loss can also be related to medication, underlying diseases, or surgery. Moreover, some inflammatory scalp diseases typically occur in older patients. This chapter discussed the management and treatment option of different forms of age-related hair loss.
Did equal amounts of work.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Alajlan A, Shapiro J, Rivers JK et al (2005) Paradoxical hypertrichosis after laser epilation. J Am Acad Dermatol 53:85–88
Amory JK, Wang C, Swerdloff RS et al (2007) the effect of 5alpha reductase inhibition with dutasteride and finasteride on semen parameters and serum hormones in healthy men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 92:1659–1665
Anderson BE, Mackley CL, Helm KF (2003) Alopecia mucinosa: report of a case and review. J Cutan Med Surg 7: 124–128
Arca E, Kose O, Tastan HB et al (2004) Follicular mucinosis responding to isotretinoin treatment. J Dermatol Treat 15: 391–395
Avram MR, Leonard RT, Epstein ES et al (2007) The current role of laser light sources in the treatment of male and female pattern hair loss. J Cosmet Laser Ther 9:27–28
Barman JM, Astore I, Pecoraro V (1965) The normal trichogram of the adult. J Invest Dermatol 44:233–236
Bianchi L, Paro Vidolin A, Piemonte P, Carboni I, Chimenti S (2001) Graham Little-Piccardi-Lassueur syndrome: effective treatment with cyclosporin A. Clin Exp Dermatol 26: 518–520
Birch MP, Messenger JF, Messenger AG (2001) Hair density, hair diameter and the prevalence of female pattern hair loss. Br J Dermatol 144:297–304
Bolduc C, Shapiro J (2000) Management of androgenetic alopecia. Am J Clin Dermatol 1:151–158
Bouzari N, Firooz AR (2006) Laser may induce terminal terminal hair growth. Dermatol Surg 32:460
Brenner S, Matz H (1999) Improvement in androgenetic alopecia in 53–76 year old men using oral finasteride. Int J Dermatol 38:928–930
Buhl AE, Waldon DJ, Baker CA et al (1990) Minoxidil sulfate is the active metabolite that stimulates hair follicles. J Invest Dermatol 95:553–557
Carey AH, Waterworth D, Patel K et al (1994) Polycystic ovaries and premature male pattern baldness are associated with one allele of the steroid metabolism gene CYP17. Hum Mol Genet 3:1873–1876
Chieregato C, Zini A, Barba A et al (2003) Lichen planopilaris: report of 30 cases and review of the literature. Int J Dermatol 74:784–786
Chumlea WC, Rhodes T, Girman CJ et al (2004) Family history and risk of hair loss. Dermatology 209:33–39
Clark RV, Hermann DJ, Cunningham GR et al (2004) Marked suppression of dihydrotestosterone in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia by dutasteride, a dual 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 89:2179–2184
Courtois M, Loussouarn G, Hourseau C et al (1995) Ageing and hair cycles. Br J Dermatol 132:86–93
D’Amico AV, Roehrborn CG (2007) Effect 1 mg/day finasteride on concentrations of serum prostate-specific antigen in men with androgenetic alopecia: a randomized controlled trial. Lancet Oncol 8:21–25
Dooley TP, Walker CJ, Hirshey SJ et al (1991) Localization of minoxidil sulfotransferase in rat liver and the outer root sheat of anagen pelage and vibrissa follicles. J Invest Dermatol 96:65–70
Draelos ZD (2006) Sunscreens and hair photoprotection. Dermatol Clin 24:81–84
Ellis JA, Stebbing M, Harrap SB (1998) Genetic analysis of male pattern baldness and the 5alpha-reductase genes. J Invest Dermatol 110:849–853
Ellis JA, Sinclair R, Harrap SB (2004) Androgenetic alopecia: pathogenesis and potential for therapy. Expert Rev Mol Med 4:1–11
Emmerson RW (1969) Follicular mucinosis. A study of 47 patients. Br J Dermatol 81:395
Friedman ES, Friedman PM, Cohen DE et al (2002) Allergic contact dermatitis to topical minoxidil solution: etiology and treatment. J Am Acad Dermatol 46:309–312
Galbrait GM, Thiers BH (1985) In vitro suppression of human lymphocyte by minoxidil. Int J Dermatol 24: 249–251
Gibson LE, Muller SA, Peters MS (1988) Follicular Âmucinosis of childhood and adolescence. Pediatr Dermatol 5: 231–235
Hamilton JB (1951) Patterned loss of hair in man; types and incidence. Ann NY Acad Sci 53:708–728
Han JH, Kwon OS, Chung JH et al (2004) Effect of minoxidil on proliferation and apoptosis in dermal papilla cells of human hair follicle. J Dermatol Sci 34:91–98
Harrison S, Sinclair R (2002) Telogen effluvium. Clin Exp Dermatol 27:389–385
Harthi FA, Kudwah A, Ajlan A et al (2003) Urticaria-like follicular mucinosis responding to dapsone. Acta Derm Venereol 83:389–390
Headington JT (1996) Cicatricial alopecia. Dermatol Clin 14:773–782
Headington JT, Novak E (1984) Clinical and histologic studies of male pattern hair baldness treated with topical minoxidil. Curr Ther Res 36:1098–1106
Hibberts NA, Howell AE, Randall VA (1998) Balding hair follicle dermal papilla cells contain higher levels of androgen receptors than those from non-balding scalp. J Endocrinol 156:59–65
Hillmer AM, Brockschmidt FF, Hanneken S et al (2008) Susceptibility variants for male-pattern baldness on chromosome 20p11. Nat Genet 40:1279–1281
Hoffman RM (1998) Topical liposome targeting of dyes, melanins, genes and proteins electively to hair follicle. J Drug Target 5:67–74
Hordinsky M, Sawaya M, Roberts JL (2002) Hair loss and hirsutism in the elderly. Clin Geriatr Med 18:121–133
Hordinsky MK, Wietgrefe MM, Sevenich E et al (1985) Immune function in alopecia areata patients applying 3% topical minoxidil. Clin Res 33:646A
Imperato-McGinley J (2002) 5alpha-reductase-2 deficiency and complete androgen insensitivity: lessons from nature. Adv Exp Med Biol 511:121–131
Iorizzo M, Vincenzi C, Voudouris S et al (2006) Finasteride treatment of female pattern hair loss. Arch Dermatol 142: 298–302
Kaufman KD, Olsen EA, Whiting D et al (1998) Finasteride in the treatment of men with androgenetic alopecia. J Am Acad Dermatol 39:578–589
Kligman AM (1959) The human hair cycle. J Invest Dermatol 33:307–316
Kligman AM (1988) The comparative histopathology of male-pattern baldness and senescent baldness. Clin Dermatol 6:108–118
Kodama H, Umemura S, Nohara N (1988) Follicular mucinosis: response to indomethacin. J Dermatol 15:72–75
Lachgar S, Charveron M, Gall Y et al (1998) Minoxidil upregulates the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in human hair dermal papilla cells. Br J Dermatol 138: 407–411
Leyden J, Dunlap F, Miller B et al (1999) Finasteride in the treatment of men with frontal male pattern hair loss. J Am Acad Dermatol 40:930–937
Ludwig E (1977) Classification of the types of androgenetic alopecia (common baldness) occurring in the female sex. Br J Dermatol 97:247
Meisheri KD, Cipkus LA, Taylor CJ (1988) Mechanism of action of minoxidil sulfate-induced vasodilation: a role for increased K+ permeability. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 245: 751–760
Morton CC, Byers MG, Nakai H, Bell GI, Shows TB. Human genes for insulin-like growth factors I and II and epidermal growth factor are located on 12q22 – q24.1, 11p15 and 4q25 – q27, respectively. Cytogenet Cell Genet 1986:41(4):245–249
Mondaini N, Gontero P, Giubilei G et al (2007) Finasteride 5 mg and sexual side effects: how many of these are related to a nocebo phenomenon? J Sex Med 4:1708–1712
Norwood OT (1975) Male pattern baldness: classification and incidence. South Med J 68:1359–1365
Olsen E (1989) Treatment of androgenetic alopecia with topical minoxidil. Res Staff Phys 53:35
Olsen E, Stenn K, Bergfeld W et al (2003) Update on cicatricial alopecia. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc 8:18–19
Olsen EA (1999) The midline part: an important physical clue to the clinical diagnosis of androgenetic alopecia in women. J Am Acad Dermatol 40:106–109
Olsen EA, Bergfeld WF, Cotsarelis G et al (2003) Summary of North American Hair Research Society (NAHRS)-sponsored workshop on Cicatricial Alopecia, Duke University Medical Center, 10 and 11 February 2001. J Am Acad Dermatol 48:103–110
Olsen EA, Hordinsky M, Whiting D et al (2006) The importance of dual 5alpha-reductase inhibition in the treatment of male pattern hair loss: results of a randomized placebo-controlled study of dutasteride versus finasteride. J Am Acad Dermatol 55:1014–1023
Olszewska M, Rudnicka L (2005) Effective treatment of female androgenetic alopecia with dutasteride. J Drugs Dermatol 4:637–640
Otberg N, Finner AM, Shapiro J (2007) Androgenetic alopecia. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 36:379–398
Otberg N, Wu WY, McElwee KJ et al (2008) Diagnosis and management of primary cicatricial alopecia: part I. Skinmed 7:19–26
Overstreet JW, Fug VL, Gould J et al (1999) Chronic treatment with finasteride daily does not affect spermatogenesis or semen production in young men. J Urol 162:1295–1300
Passaro EM, Silveira MT, Valente NY (2004) Acneiform follicular mucinosis. Clin Exp Dermatol 29:396–398
Peluso AM, Misciali C, Vincenzi C et al (1997) Diffuse hypertrichosis during treatment with 5% topical minoxidil. Br J Dermatol 136:118–120
Price VH (1999) Treatment of hair loss. N Engl J Med 341:964–973
Price VH, Roberts JL, Hordinski M et al (2000) Lack of efficacy of finasteride in postmenopausal women with androgenetic alopecia. J Am Acad Dermatol 43:768–776
Randall VA, Ebling FJ (1991) Seasonal changes in human hair growth. Br J Dermatol 124:146–151
Rhodes L, Harper J, Gaito H et al (1994) The effects of finasteride (Proscar) on hair growth, hair cycle stage, and serum testosterone in adult male and female stump-tail macaques (Macaca arctoides). J Clin Endocrinol Metab 29: 291–296
Richards JB, Yuan X, Geller F et al (2008) Male-pattern baldness susceptibility locus at 20p11. Nat Genet 40: 1282–1284
Roberts JL, Fiedler V, Imperato-McGinley J et al (1999) Clinical dose ranging studies with finasteride, a type 2 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, in men with male pattern hair loss. J Am Acad Dermatol 41:555–563
Roehrborn CG, Boyle P, Nickel JC et al (2002) Efficacy and safety of dual inhibitor of 5alpha reductase types 1 and 2 (dutasteride) in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Urology 60:434–441
Rundegren J (2004) Pattern alopecia: what clinical features determine the response to topical minoxidil treatment? JDDG 2:500
Rushton DH, Ramsay ID, Norris MJ et al (1991) Natural progression of male pattern baldness in young men. Clin Exp Dermatol 16:188–192
Safavi KH, Muller SA, Suman VJ et al (1995) Incidence of alopecia areata in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1975 through 1989. Mayo Clin Proc 70:628–633
Sellheyer K, Bergfeld WF (2006) Histopathologic evaluation of alopecias. Am J Dermatopathol 28:236–259
Shapiro J (2007) Clinical practice. Hair loss in women. N Engl J Med 18:1620–1630
Shapiro J, Price VH (1998) Hair regrowth therapeutic agents. Dermatol Clin 16:341–356
Sinclair R, Grossman KL, Kvedar JC (2003) Anagen hair loss. McGraw-Hill, New York
Sperling LC, Lupton GP (1995) Histopathology of non-scarring alopecia. J Cutan Pathol:97–114
Sperling LC, Solomon AR, Whiting DA (2000) A new look at scarring alopecia. Arch Dermatol 136:235–242
Tajima M, Hamada C, Arai T et al (2007) Characteristic features of Japanese women’s hair with aging and with progressing hair loss. J Dermatol Sci 45:93–103
Thompson MI, Goodman PJ, Tangen CM et al (2003) The influence of finasteride on the development of prostate cancer. N Engl J Med 349:215–224
Tolgyesi E (1983) Weathering of hair. Cosmet Toilet 98: 29–33
Tosti A, Iorizzo M, Piraccini BM (2005) Androgenetic alopecia in children: report of 20 cases. Br J Dermatol 152: 556–559
Trueeb RM (2004) Finasteride treatment of patterned hair loss in normoandrogenetic postmenopausal women. Dermatology 209:202–207
Trueeb RM (2005) Aging of hair. J Cosm Derm 4:60–72
Unger WP, Unger RH (2003) Hair transplanting: An important but often forgotten treatment for female pattern hair loss. J Am Acad Dermatol 49:853–860
Uno H (1986) The stump-tailed macaque as a model for baldness: effects of minoxidil. Int J Cosmet Sci 8:63–71
van Doorn R, Scheffer E, Willemze R (2002) Follicular mycosis fungoides, a distinct disease entity with or without associated follicular mucinosis: a clinicopathologic and follow-up study of 51 patients. Arch Dermatol 138: 191–198
von Kobyletzki G, Kreuter JA, Nordmeier R et al (2000) Treatment of idiopathic mucinosis follicularis with UVA1 cold light phototherapy. Dermatology 201:76–77
Weiss VC, West DP (1985) Topical minoxidil therapy and hair regrowth. Arch Dermatol 121:191–192
Wester RC, Maibach HI, Guy RH et al (1984) Minoxidil stimulates cutaneous blood flow in human balding scalp: pharmacodynamics measured by laser Doppler velocimetry and photopulse plethysmography. J Invest Dermatol 82: 515–517
Whiting DA (1996) Chronic telogen effluvium: increased scalp hair shedding in middle-aged women. J Am Acad Dermatol 35:899–906
Whiting DA (2001) Advances in the treatment of male androgenetic alopecia: a brief review of finasteride studies Eur J Dermatol 11:332–334
Whiting DA (2003) Histopathologic features of alopecia areata: a new look. Arch Dermatol 139:1555–1559
Whiting DA, Waldstreicher J, Sanchez M et al (1999) Measuring reversal of hair miniaturization in androgenetic alopecia by follicular counts in horizontal sections of serial scalp biopsies: result of finasteride 1 mg treatment of men and postmenopausal women. J Invest Dermatol Symp Proc 4:282–284
Whiting DA, Olsen EA, Savin R et al (2003) Efficacy and tolerability of finasteride 1 mg in men aged 41–60 years with male pattern hair loss. Eur J Dermatol 13:150–160
Wu WY, Otberg N, McElwee KJ et al (2008) Diagnosis and management of primary cicatricial alopecia: part II. Skinmed 7:78–83
York J, Nicholson T, Minors P et al (1998) Stressful life events and loss of hair among adult women, a case-control study. Psychol Rep 82:1044–1046
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Otberg, N., Restrepo, I., Shapiro, J. (2010). Possibilities and Limitations for Reversal of Age-Related Hair Loss. In: Trüeb, R., Tobin, D. (eds) Aging Hair. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02636-2_18
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02636-2_18
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-02635-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-02636-2
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)