Dermatology in India
A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled pilot study to assess the efficacy of a 24-week topical treatment by latanoprost 0.1% on hair growth and pigmentation in healthy volunteers with androgenetic alopecia.
Blume-Peytavi U, Lönnfors S, Hillmann K, Garcia Bartels N.
J Am Acad Dermatol. 2012 May;66(5):794-800. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2011.05.026. Epub 2011 Aug 27.
- Hair loss is most commonly due to androgenetic alopecia (or androgenic). Treatment options are quite limited and include oral vitamin H (Biotin), topical minoxidil, and oral finasteride. When this fails, it may be required to use a wig or undergo hair transplantation to minimize the appearance.
- These limited treatment options add up to the distress of having this condition.
- A newcomer appears to have entered the therapeutic tools. It is called latanoprost:
- it is used to treat glaucoma. It is a prostaglandin analogue which acts by dilating blood vessels.
- it was discovered that it caused thickening and regrowth of eyelashes.
- Naturally questions rose to whether it could be used in scalp hair regrowth. The authors performed a study;
- 16 men with mild androgenic alopecia (Hamilton II and III) were enrolled.
- latanoprost 0.1% was applied daily for 24 weeks on small areas of the scalp.
- measurement of hair growth, density, diameter and anagen/telogen ratio were done.
- RESULTS showed increased density (statistically significant) in all treated subjects when compared with baseline and the non treated areas.
- Although the study only concerned young individuals with mild balding, It is generally speaking a good idea to start treatment as early as possible as regrowth of lost hair tends to be poor and unpredictable.
Contributors
Dr Christophe Hsu – dermatologist. Geneva, Switzerland
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