Abstract
Background: The occipital region of the scalp is generally accepted as an unaffected area of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) for both genders. However, evidence of AGA involving the occipital scalp has been demonstrated in women; meanwhile, it is unclear whether occipital involvement also occurs in men.Objective: We aimed to determine if there is occipital involvement in men with AGA.Methods: This case-control study compared hair counts of scalp biopsy specimens from the occipital region of 82 men with Hamilton-Norwood III-VII and 82 unaffected men.Results: The mean ages of men with AGA and controls were 40.1 ± 8.9 and 38.6 ± 10.5 years, respectively (P = 0.291). A significant decrease in total hair follicles, terminal hair follicles, follicular units and terminal to vellus (T:V) ratio, along with a significant increase in follicular stelae was indicated in the AGA group compared to controls (all P < 0.05). Subgroup analyses revealed that average counts of total hair follicles, terminal hair follicles and T:V ratios were also significantly lower in males with Hamilton-Norwood VI and VII than in controls (all P < 0.05). There were no correlations between increasing age and hair count parameters, but a significant negative association was found between total follicle numbers and disease duration (r = −0.23, P = 0.02).Conclusions: AGA can involve the occipital area of male patients with advanced disease. Therefore, the occiput of particular cases should not be used to determine reference data for normal scalp hair, and preoperative measurements of miniaturized hairs in the donor site are strongly recommended in all persons undergoing hair transplantation.
Highlights
The most common cause of hair loss in both men and women is androgenetic alopecia (AGA), known as pattern hair loss, and is characterized by gradual hair thinning within a specific distribution on the scalp in genetically susceptible individuals [1]
The main histopathological features of AGA are as follows: (i) decreased terminal hair follicles and increased vellus hair follicles resulting in a reduced ratio of terminal to vellus (T:V) follicles of
The mean number of total hair follicles in AGA subjects was 17.6 ± 4.2 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 16.68–18.52), showing a significantly lower number compared with controls
Summary
The most common cause of hair loss in both men and women is androgenetic alopecia (AGA), known as pattern hair loss, and is characterized by gradual hair thinning within a specific distribution on the scalp in genetically susceptible individuals [1]. AGA; by contrast, the role of androgens in women is much less established [3, 4]. The occipital region of the scalp is generally accepted as an unaffected area of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) for both genders. Evidence of AGA involving the occipital scalp has been demonstrated in women; it is unclear whether occipital involvement occurs in men
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
