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Study: 5AR inhibition has no effect for female pattern baldness (Propecia, Finasteride for Women)

posted by bunnyheather, 09.06.2008, 14:33

» » This is a good study. I think this study contradicts the claims made by
» » many hair loss products on the market that are formulated for female
» hair
» » loss users.
» »
» » Production rates of testosterone and of dihydrotestosterone in
» female
» » pattern hair loss.
» »
» » Vierhapper H, Maier H, Nowotny P, Waldhausl W.
» »
» » Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal
» Medicine
» » III, University of Vienna, Austria.
» »
» » Production rates of testosterone (T) and of dihydrotestosterone (DHT)
» were
» » determined in young women (n=8, age, 23 to 40 years) with
» female-pattern
» » hair loss using the stable isotope dilution technique and mass
» » spectrometry. 1 alpha,2 alpha-d-testosterone and
» » 2,3,4-13C-dihydro-testosterone were infused for 10 hours at a dose of 2
» » microg/h each and blood samples were obtained at 20-minute intervals
» during
» » the last 4 hours of the observation period. In the presence of normal
» » metabolic clearance rates (MCRs), production rates of T were increased
» » (9.4+/-5.0 microg/h; normal, 4.3+/-1.9 microg/h, P<.05). MCRs of DHT
» » (8.0+/-3.4 L/h; normal, 25.9+/-12.3 L/h, P<.002) were subnormal in all
» » women and the production rates of DHT were within or below the normal
» range
» » (mean, 1.6+/-0.6 microg/h; normal, 2.9+/-1.1 microg/h, P<.02).
» »
» » Unlike men with male-pattern baldness, women with female-pattern
» » baldness are characterized by increased production rates of T, but not
» of
» » DHT. These results are compatible with the idea that 5 alpha-reductase
» » inhibition is of no therapeutical value in female-pattern baldness.
» »
» » PMID: 12870172
»
»
»
»
»
» But there are other studies you have posted that say it does help
» women....?



Effect of finasteride 5 mg (Proscar) on acne and alopecia in female patients with normal serum levels of free testosterone.


BACKGROUND:
In some women with acne or alopecia who have normal serum levels of free testosterone, no clinical improvement can be reached by the classical treatment with antiandrogens, isotretinoids or corticosteroids. Our hypothesis is that some of these women have an excessive activity of the enzyme 5alpha-reductase.

OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the subjective benefit of the treatment with finasteride (5 mg/day) in women with normal serum levels of free testosterone suffering from acne or alopecia. DESIGN: This was a retrospective study evaluating a questionnaire filled out by 12 patients, six of whom had acne and six of whom had alopecia.

RESULTS:
Nine of the 12 patients benefited from the treatment, their symptoms decreased significantly and they felt better psychologically than before the administration of finasteride. The other three patients did not benefit at all from finasteride and reported no change in the extent of the acne/alopecia. Treatment was generally well tolerated, only a few adverse effects were noted.

CONCLUSIONS:
Nine of the 12 patients benefited from the treatment. This supports our hypothesis of an excessive activity of 5alpha-reductase enzyme in peripheral tissue in these patients. The fact that three of the patients did not realize any change in their symptom severity implies that there must also be other pathways in the genesis of acne and alopecia in women with normal levels of free testosterone. Further evaluation is needed to elucidate more precise indications for the administration of finasteride in women with acne and alopecia..

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bunnyheather is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO

Complete thread:

• Study: 5AR inhibition has no effect for female pattern baldness - HairSite, 09.06.2008, 00:54
  • Study: 5AR inhibition has no effect for female pattern baldness - bunnyheather, 09.06.2008, 14:31
    • Study: 5AR inhibition has no effect for female pattern baldness - bunnyheather, 09.06.2008, 14:33
    • Study: 5AR inhibition has no effect for female pattern baldness - HairSite, 09.06.2008, 21:40
  • Study: 5AR inhibition has no effect for female pattern baldness - JL, 09.06.2008, 15:02
    • Study: 5AR inhibition has no effect for female pattern baldness - HairSite, 09.06.2008, 21:44