Hair Loss Blog

Ann Dermatol Venereol. 1978;105(4):369

Some atypical forms of eczema in children

Hambly EM, Wilkinson DS.

edited for hair loss blodspot

Among 466 children under the age of 12 years who presented with eczema in a 5-year period, 68 p. 100 were atopic. 136 had various atypical signs of atopy. 44 suffered from pityriasis alba of sufficient intensity to justify referral for this reason; 10 had the typical features of seborrhoeic dermatitis of infants. 27 suffered from "forefoot" eczema ("juvenile plantar dermatosis"). The course and characteristics of this condition are discussed and compared with the series recently described in the West of Scotland. Our cases were exactly similar except for an aggravation in the summer months and the fact that our cases responded poorly to topical corticosteroids alone though improved with coal tar...snip...

Hair loss and hair loss regrowth

J Cutan Pathol. 1993;20(4):344
The human hair follicle in normal scalp and male pattern hair loss.

Alcaraz MV,et al

edited for hair regrowth blog use

We carried out a quantitative study of the matrix and dermal papilla of the human hair follicle of the scalp, both normal and in various degrees of male pattern hair loss. ..snip.. The number of cell nuclei in the matrix and the papilla of balding scalp was found to be 30% and 50% smaller, respectively, than those of normal scalp. Finally, a morphometric study revealed enlarged nuclei in the matrix and papilla, as shown by their increased areas, perimeters, and maximal diameters.

J Am Acad Dermatol. 1986;15(1):54

Intermittent hair follicle dystrophy. Report of a new disorder.

Birnbaum PS, et al

A new disorder of the hair follicle is described that leads to increased fragility of the shaft. Light microscopic studies of hair follicles revealed disturbances of keratinization in the shafts that are very likely responsible for the breakage. The most consistent change seen by transmission electron microscopy was intercellular edema of the outer root sheath, while scanning electron microscopy of the hair revealed disturbances of the surface and broken ends. Specific biochemical abnormalities of the hair proteins were not found. Possible mechanisms for the disease are discussed.

Dermatologica.1987;175 Suppl 2:29

Immunohistochemical characterization of the cellular infiltrate in severe alopecia areata before and after minoxidil treatment.

Fiedler VC, Buys CM.

edited

The mechanism of minoxidil-induced hair regrowth in alopecia areata (AA) is unknown. In vitro studies suggest that pharmacologic tissue levels of minoxidil may have both epithelial and T cell effects. ...snip... It is possible that minoxidil may be altering a presumed follicular chemoattractive stimulus to a variety of cell types. Decreases in activated T cell counts suggest the possibility of direct immunomodulatory effects of minoxidil on T cells which might contribute to a hair regrowth response in AA.

hair loss and hair loss treatment

hair loss treatment blog

J Biol Chem. 1997 Oct 31;272(44):27893-901.

The fate of trichohyalin. Sequential post-translational modifications by peptidyl-arginine deiminase and transglutaminases.

Tarcsa E,

Trichohyalin (THH) is a major structural protein of the inner root sheath cells and medulla layer of the hair follicle and, to a lesser extent, of other specialized epithelia. THH is a high molecular weight insoluble alpha-helix-rich protein that forms rigid structures as a result of postsynthetic modifications by two Ca2+-dependent enzymes, transglutaminases (TGases) (protein cross-linking) and peptidyl-arginine deiminase (conversion of arginines to citrullines with loss of organized structure). The modified THH is thought to serve as a keratin intermediate filament matrix protein and/or as a constituent of the cell envelope. In this paper, we have explored in vitro the order of processing of THH to fulfill these functions, using an expressed truncated, more soluble form THH-8. THH-8 is a complete substrate for three known TGases expressed in epithelia, but the kinetic efficiency with TGase 3 is by far the greatest. Following maximal conversion of its arginines to citrullines, THH-8 is cross-linked even more efficiently by TGase 3, using most glutamines partially and all lysines. In addition, we show that insoluble aggregates of THH-8 or native pig tongue THH can be solubilized following peptidyl-arginine deiminase modification. Together, these data suggest an in vivo model in which THH located in insoluble cytoplasmic droplets is first modified by peptidyl-arginine deiminase which denatures it and makes it more soluble. This renders it available for efficient cross-linking by TGase 3 to form highly cross-linked rigid structures in the cells. This temporal order of reaction is supported by the observation that THH is expressed in hair follicle cells before the TGase 3 enzyme.

J Dermatol Sci. 1994 Jul;7 Suppl:S125-35

The aetiology and pathogenesis of alopecia areata.McDonagh AJ, Messenger AG.

In common with a number of inflammatory autoimmune diseases, genetic factors including HLA class II associations have been identified in alopecia areata. No consensus has been reached on the identity of a specific disease target within the hair follicle in hair loss secondary to alopecia areata. Suggested candidate cell types include the dermal papilla cells, the keratinocytes of the matrix and presumptive cortex and the hair bulb melanocytes, but these need not be mutually exclusive. The pathogenesis is known to involve disturbance of immune function but there is no proof that an autoimmune mechanism is fundamental. We propose a pathogenetic model incorporating polygenic determination of disease susceptibility and severity with additional, possibly environmental, factors as triggers for disease expression.

Hautarzt. 1991 Jul;42(7):455-8

Ichthyosis and alopecia after maprotiline: corneolysis caused by temporary disorder of keratinization

Niederauer HH, Bacharach-Buhles M, Altmeyer P.
Dermatologische Klinik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum im St. Josef-Hospital.

A 37-year-old woman developed ichthyosiform desquamation of the skin and a severe diffuse hair loss 3 weeks after taking the antidepressant maprotilin. No signs of inflammation were present. Histology revealed acanthosis with preserved stratum granulosum, follicular hyperkeratosis and dystrophic changes of the hair follicle. Electron microscopy revealed rarefication of tonofilaments and necrobiotic changes of epidermal keratinocytes with vacuolar degeneration of the cytoplasm and disorganization of the organelles. Pathogenetically this disease represents a drug-induced transitory disorder to keratinization, which had resulted in desquamation of the stratum corneum and alopecia. The authors propose the designation corneolysis for this pathogenetic principle.

Acta Derm Venereol. 1986;66(3):269-72.

immunotherapy of alopecia areata. A follow-up study
.
Valsecchi R, et al

Ninety-six patients suffering from hair loss secondary to alopecia areata have been treated with topical immunotherapy. Fifty-one have been treated with DNCB and 45 with squaric acid dibutylester. Analysis of our group showed that 55 patients out of those 96, who entered the study, experienced hair regrowth during a period of 6-17 weeks of treatment. Of these 55 patients, 25 (45.4%) had a recurrence of AA and 30 (53.6%) had a persistent hair regrowth during a follow-up of 16 months-6 years. The severity and early development of flare-up and induced allergic contact dermatitis have been the principal factors that have influenced the clinical results.

Am J Clin Nutr. 1983 Feb;37(2):185-7.

Possible biotin deficiency in adults receiving long-term total parenteral nutrition.

Innis SM, Allardyce DB.

Two adult patients receiving total parenteral nutrition on a long-term home basis presented with severe loss of hair. Both patients had extensive gut resection, consumed no biotin orally and received no biotin parenterally. Supplementation with Berroca-C, one ampule containing 200 micrograms biotin per day resulted in gradual regrowth of healthy hair. The patients now receive a parenteral solution containing biotin and have shown no recurrence of alopecia. It is suggested that biotin deficiency can occur in the adult when no preformed biotin is provided to the body and the contribution of this vitamin from intestinal microbial biosynthesis is compromised.

Hautarzt. 1999 May;50(5 Suppl Haarausfal):1-4.

Androgenetic alopecia. Hair loss effectively stopped with 1 mg Finasteride
[Article in German]

PMID: 10384884

Another article on treatment of hair loss with finasteride (propecia)