title: Therapeutic approaches to the management of common baldness.
abstract: Common baldness or androgenetic alopecia is a universal problem, having affected both sexes of all races to different extents for as long as mankind has existed. The progressive androgen dependent hair loss follows specific patterns and is a physiological process, which may take on disease quality due to psychosocial compontents. These should be taken into consideration when discussing the several treatment options available, particularly as a cure cannot be offered. Cosmetic measures range from back-combing over perms to hairpieces and wigs. Medical therapies include systemic antiandrogens and topical minoxidil; surgical options comprise follicular transplantation, scalp reduction and rotation. Before starting treatment, however, careful consideration should be given to the differential diagnosis which includes drug-induced hair thinning, anagen effluvium, diffuse alopecia areata, metabolic disturbances, nutritional deficiencies and acute as well as chronic telogen effluvium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, United Leeds University Hospitals, Yorkshire.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sommer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000505:Alopecia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008914:Minoxidil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D008914:Minoxidil