New report on androgenetic alopecia in children

[HairLossFight.com]

Sadly, kids can have androgenetic alopecia too:

British Journal of Dermatology
Volume 152 Issue 3 Page 556 - March 2005
doi:10.1111/j.1365-2133.2004.06279.x

Androgenetic alopecia in children: report of 20 cases
A. Tosti, M. Iorizzo and B.M. Piraccini

Summary

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common type of hair loss in adults. Although there are differences in the age at onset, the disease starts after puberty when enough testosterone is available to be transformed into dihydrotestosterone. We report 20 prepubertal children with AGA, 12 girls and eight boys, age range 6-10 years, observed over the last 4 years. All had normal physical development. Clinical examination showed hair loss with thinning and widening of the central parting of the scalp, both in boys and girls. In eight cases frontal accentuation and breach of frontal hairline were also present. The clinical diagnosis was confirmed by pull test, trichogram and dermoscopy in all cases, and by scalp biopsy performed in six cases. There was a strong family history of AGA in all patients. The onset of AGA is not expected to be seen in prepubertal patients without abnormal androgen levels. A common feature observed in our series of children with AGA was a strong genetic predisposition to the disease. Although the pathogenesis remains speculative, endocrine evaluation and a strict follow-up are strongly recommended.

[Tricia]

That is very sad and probably will increase. I think as a species we're losing our scalp hair.

Some of the kids might not be getting enough protein or iron.

[James]

Thats horrible! I hope this gives scientist or researchers of whoever more reason to help cure hair loss. I don't think that people understand how it can really wreck havoc on your life.

[HairLossFight.com]

I agree. I just think its one of those very difficult problems to solve. We're talking about stem cells and complex interactions at the molecular level with multiple factors at play. I think if they can truly cure hair loss it will be beneficial in more areas than just hair loss.

I think it's really unfair for children to have to suffer from hair loss. Here we are fretting about it in our 20's, 30's and older and there are kids that aren't even 10 years of age with hair loss.... It puts things into perspective doesn't it.

[Armando]

Hi friends;

I concurr with you, common baldness in children could be the worst nightmare.

This study is very important, androgens are implicated in MPB, but childrens have not androgens in the blood flow. what happen, what is missing?
In my opinion there is a intracrinology event (*). And could be proved that androgens are not the trigger of common baldness. Curiosuly TONSURE is a method to provoke localizated alopecia even in prepubers. Then the initial factor could be a problem with the sebum flow.

My theory is in a pdf file in http://www.againstalopeciaandbaldness.com

Regards
Armando

(*) Front Neuroendocrinol. 2001 Jul;22(3):185-212. Related Articles, Links

DHEA and its transformation into androgens and estrogens in peripheral
target tissues: intracrinology.

Labrie F, Luu-The V, Labrie C, Simard J.

Oncology and Molecular Endocrinology Research Center, Laval University
Medical Center (CHUL), Quebec, G1V 4G2, Canada.
fernand.labrie@crchul.ulaval.ca

A new understanding of the endocrinology of menopause is that women, at
menopause, are not only lacking estrogens resulting from cessation of
ovarian activity but have also been progressively deprived for a few
years of androgens and some estrogens originating from adrenal DHEA and
androstenedione (4-dione). In fact, serum DHEA decreases by about 60%
between the maximal levels seen at 30 years of age to the age of
menopause. This decreased secretion of DHEA and DHEA-S by the adrenals
is responsible for a parallel decrease in androgen and estrogen
formation in peripheral tissues by the steroidogenic enzymes
specifically expressed in each cell type in individual target tissues.
This new field of endocrinology, called intracrinology, describes the
local synthesis of androgens and estrogens made locally in each cell of
each peripheral tissue from the adrenal precursors DHEA and 4-dione.
These androgens and estrogens exert their action in the same cells
where their synthesis takes place and they are released from these
target cells only after being inactivated. To further understand the
effect of DHEA in women, DHEA has been administered in postmenopausal
women for 12 months. Such treatment resulted in increased bone
formation and higher bone mineral density accompanied by elevated
levels of osteocalcin, a marker of bone formation. Vaginal maturation
was stimulated, while no effect was observed on the endometrium.
Preclinical studies, on the other hand, have shown that, due to its
predominant conversion into androgens, DHEA prevents the development
and inhibits the growth of dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced mammary
carcinoma in the rat, a model of breast cancer. DHEA also inhibits the
growth of human breast cancer ZR-75-1 xenografts in nude mice. The
inhibitory effect of DHEA on breast cancer is due to an androgenic
effect of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone made locally from DHEA.
When used as replacement therapy, DHEA is free of the potential risk of
breast and uterine cancer, while it stimulates bone formation and
vaginal maturation and decreases insulin resistance. The combination of
DHEA with a fourth generation SERM, such as EM-652 (SCH 57068), a
compound having pure and potent antiestrogenic activity in the mammary
gland and endometrium, could provide major benefits for women at
menopause (inhibition of bone loss and serum cholesterol levels) with
the associated major advantages of preventing breast and uterine
cancer. A widely used application of intracrinology is the treatment of
prostate cancer where the testicles are blocked by an LHRH agonist
while the androgens made locally in the prostate from DHEA are blocked
by a pure antiandrogen. Such treatment, called combined androgen
blockade, has led to the first demonstration of a prolongation of life
in prostate cancer. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Publication Types:
Review

PMID: 11456468 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]