What is Androgenetic Alopecia (AGA)? Androgenetic Alopecia is a form of hair loss condition characterized by patterned baldness and hair thinning in both males and females.
Some degree of genetic influence and hormones such as androgens can cause AGA.
Research on the United States population estimates that about 50 million men and approximately 30 million women are at some point in their lives affected by Androgenetic Alopecia.
AGA development risks increase with age.
Types of Androgenetic Alopecia
Male Pattern Baldness
This form of alopecia is common in males over 50. Hair loss begins on the crown, causing a receding hairline to the center of the head. In most cases, hair loss does not affect the back or sides of the head; thus, the name ‘patterned’ is used.
Male pattern manifests itself in seven stages:
Stage 1: Little hairline recession or hair loss.
Stage 2: Slight hair loss on the temple (area behind your eyes or between the forehead and the ears).
Stage 3: Hair loss on the temple proceeds to form a U or M shape.
Stage 4: Major hair loss on your crown. In some cases, the hairline recession grows further.
Stage 5: The bald area on the crown connects with the receding hairline.
Stage 6: The area between the crown and the temples is gone.
Stage 7: Thin band-sized hair surrounds the head, with complete baldness at the top.
Female Pattern Hair Loss
Female pattern hair loss (FPHL) often manifests in older women over 50. Statistically, about 50% of women over 65 develop the condition. Unlike the male pattern, females rarely experience a receding hairline. Instead, affected people manifest thinning of the hair all over the head followed by falling out of tufts of hair.
Balding Stages in Female Pattern Hair Loss:
The first appearance of female pattern hair loss manifests through thinning the hair around the crown. In this case, the thinning affected part forms an oval shape, while the hair around it remains dense and regular. The female hair loss resembles male baldness but differs by the frontal area, which remains unaffected in females.
This form of androgenetic alopecia advances with age. Older women have more pronounced hair loss as the number of short and thin hairs increases.
In fewer cases, the crown might become completely bald in younger women yet to hit menopause.
The genetic predisposition responsible for AGA baldness in men also affects hair loss in women. Females, however, take longer to show signs. At the onset of menopause, women produce high estrogen levels, which protect the hair from falling off.
Estrogen levels play a crucial role in fighting against dihydrotestosterone and other androgenic hormones that cause AGA. As estrogen levels reduce with menopause, hair starts to thin out and fall, leading to visible signs of FPHL.
What Causes Androgenetic Alopecia?
Several factors lead to the development of Androgenetic alopecia. Ongoing and current research studies show that hormones, among other factors still under research, are most likely to cause AGA.
Some of the factors are:
- Hormones: Androgen hormones, specifically dihydrotestosterone (DHT), play a part in developing androgenetic alopecia, thus the name. Androgens ensure normal development for the male gender during puberty. Other functions include regulating sex drive and hair growth.
- Age: Development chances increase in male and female patterns of Androgenetic Alopecia.
- Genetics: If your parents develop hair loss at a certain point, you might as well experience it. The AR gene, found on the X chromosomes, also affects the production of androgens.
- Inflammatory condition: Attacks the follicle environment.
Symptoms of Androgenetic Alopecia
These are some of the primary symptoms:
General
- Predictable hair loss pattern
In Men
- Receding hairline
- Hair thinning on the crown
- Complete baldness at the top of the scalp area.
In Women
- Hair thinning on the whole scalp, with widening of the center
- Balding of various spots
What does it look like?
How Do You Diagnose Androgenetic Alopecia?
Androgenetic Alopecia is very easy to recognize. You should consult a certified specialist to examine the scalp physically. To ascertain if it is indeed the condition above, the doctor will check the hair follicles’ thickness, trace the scalp’s balding, and assess the hair loss pattern (if any).
What Treatments Are Available for Androgenetic Alopecia?
AGA has no permanent cure. Patients experiencing the condition have been diagnosed with depression and anxiety linked to the worry and pressure brought about by losing hair, especially for younger people.
Treatments Used to Manage AGA
Drugs
Oral finasteride and topical minoxidil are FDA-approved in the United States to slow down hair loss and stimulate growth. Finasteride is recommended for male pattern balding, which negatively affects women of childbearing age and post-menopause.
Topical Therapies
Patients with mild AGA who want to avoid side effects caused by oral medications can opt for:
- Topical Minoxidil: It is available in liquid and foam solutions and is applied on the front part of the scalp to accelerate hair regrowth by increasing strand density and diameter. A certified specialist advises that you will notice positive results within 4 to 8 months if applied effectively.
Note: Involve a specialist to assess possible allergic reactions related to the treatment.
- Topical Finasteride: The gel reduces balding when applied chronically at least once to the affected scalp areas.
Hair Transplant
The doctor transfers healthy hair skin grafts from other parts of your body onto the balding area. Side effects might include scarring, skin irritation, and scalp pain.
- Follicular Unit Strip Surgery (FUSS): FUSS is a procedure that involves surgically removing oval-shaped hair strips from the side or back of the head. A specialist then divides the strip into smaller grafts and transfers them to the bald area. This procedure is only applicable to specific patients as recommended by a doctor. Patients might acquire a deformed or unnatural look post-surgery.
- Basic Follicular Unit Extraction (Basic FUE): in FUE, a surgeon uses a unique tool to cut around single hair follicles from the back or sides of the head. The surgery rarely qualifies for most patients as the donor pool is limited to the head.
- Dr.UGraft Advanced FUE: Dr. Sanusi Umar’s Dr.UGraft Advanced FUE system has expanded the available donor source by utilizing body and scalp hair for transplants. Dr. Umar’s revolutionary advanced FUE invention uses a specialized tool that guarantees hair follicles are not damaged during extraction. The Dr.UGraft Intelligent Punch has proven to be a breakthrough in the industry, with hundreds of patients receiving long-term hair restoration.
Temporary methods
These are treatment options that require everyday usage to manage AGA. They include wigs, hairpieces, scalp pigmentation, and hair loss concealers. It is one of the cheapest treatment methods to manage the condition, however, the results lack a natural look.
Dr.Ugro Gashee FineTouch Laboratories
This topical formulation contains different vitamins, botanicals, and cosmeceuticals used to manage AGA. The liquid lotion contains methylsufomethane to help penetrate the treatment ingredients.
Androgenetic Alopecia Frequently Asked Question(FAQ)
Can androgenetic alopecia(AGA) be cured?
It has no cure but can be managed with various treatment options.
Can hair grow back with androgenetic alopecia(AGA)?
It is possible but varies from patient to patient and the treatment option applied.
What causes androgenetic alopecia (AGA)?
Irregular androgen hormones play a part in hair growth regulation.
References
Kaliyadan, F., Nambiar, A., & Vijayaraghavan, S. (2013). Androgenetic alopecia: an update. Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 79(5), 613–625. https://doi.org/10.4103/0378-6323.116730
Norwood, O. T. (2001). Incidence of Female Androgenetic Alopecia (Female Pattern Alopecia). Dermatologic Surgery, 27(1), 53–54. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1524-4725.2001.00124.x
Olsen, E. A., Messenger, A. G., Shapiro, J., Bergfeld, W. F., Hordinsky, M. K., Roberts, J. L., Stough, D., Washenik, K., & Whiting, D. A. (2005). Evaluation and treatment of male and female pattern hair loss. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 52(2), 301–311. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2004.04.008
Umar, S., & Carter, M. J. (2021). A Multimodal Hair-Loss Treatment Strategy Using a New Topical Phytoactive Formulation: A Report of Five Cases. Case Reports in Dermatological Medicine, 2021, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6659943
