Changes in hair weight and hair count in men with androgenetic alopecia after treatment with finasteride, 1 mg, daily.
BACKGROUND
Finasteride, a type II 5alpha-reductase inhibitor, reduces scalp and serum dihydrotestosterone and has been shown to be effective in men with androgenetic alopecia (AGA).


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of finasteride on scalp hair weight in men with AGA.


METHODS
Sixty-six men with AGA received finasteride, 1 mg/d, or placebo in a 48-week study, and 49 men continued in a 48-week extension. Efficacy was assessed by scalp hair weights and hair counts.


RESULTS
As expected, hair counts improved with finasteride (net mean percent change +/- SE [95% CI] compared with placebo = 9.2% +/- 2.8% [3.8, 14.6] and 15.4% +/- 3.2% [9.1, 21.7] at 48 and 96 weeks, respectively; P <.01 for both time points), and net improvements in hair weight were greater (25.6% +/- 3.6% [18.5, 32.7] and 35.8% +/- 4.6% [26.7, 44.8] at 48 and 96 weeks, respectively; P <.001 for both time points). Finasteride was generally well tolerated.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, finasteride, 1 mg, increased hair weight in men with AGA. Hair weight increased to a larger extent than hair count, implying that factors other than the number of hairs, such as increased growth rate (length) and thickness of hairs, contribute to the beneficial effects of finasteride in treated men.
Price
Vera H
VH
University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Menefee
Emory
E
Sanchez
Matilde
M
Ruane
Patrick
P
Kaufman
Keith D
KD
D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D000328:Adult; D000505:Alopecia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018120:Finasteride / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006197:Hair / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018120:Finasteride