title: The phototrichogram: analysis of some technical factors of variation.
abstract: Photographic methods for hair evaluation are frequently proposed as an alternative to more invasive methods (trichogram or biopsy). The reliability in terms of quantitative follow-up of hair growth has not been evaluated properly. We report results of comparative studies of scalp hair evaluation with various photographic methods. Statistically significant findings were a better detection of scalp hairs using the original enlargement x 3 as compared to x 2 (212 vs. 167 hair follicles/cm2) and a more acceptable estimate of linear hair growth rate with 'scalp immersion proxigraphy' (SIP) (0.317 mm/day) as compared with classical phototrichogram pictures where this variable was underestimated by 30% on average (0.27 mm/day). SIP-generated linear hair growth rates were very close to the micrometric method (0.37 mm/day). Therefore SIP x 3 images appear preferable for hair growth monitoring during clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Skin Study Center, Skinterface, Tournai, Belgium.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Van Neste
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: de Brouwer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: De Coster
mesh_terms: D000505:Alopecia / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010781:Photography; D012535:Scalp / Q000473:pathology