P22 HAIR QUALITY STUDY IN MALE SUBJECTS WITH ANDROGENETIC ALOPECIA TREATED WITH FINASTERIDE (1MG/D) OR PLACEBO

de Brouwer B., Leroy T., Van Neste D. Skinterface, Tournai, Belgium

The purpose of this double-blind placebo controlled assay is to evaluate hair quality in terms of changes in scalp hair diameter in subjects with androgenetic alopecia after one year treatment with finasteride (1mg/day).

32 subjects (age 21 - 40 years; Hamilton categories II - V) were enrolled in this study. The target site (centered on a tattoo; 2.83 cm²) was chosen at the progressing edge of alopecia. Scalp hair was hooked through a template, clipped and collected at baseline and after one year of treatment. 35810 hair fibers were individually displayed and categorized under the light microscope into thin (Ø=40µm) or thick (Ø>40µm).

As compared with baseline, after 1 year placebo or finasteride, we respectively observed a 10.7% and 16.5% increase of total number of hair; 6.9% and 14.7% increase of thick hairs; 25% and 24% increase of thin hair. There was however no statistically significant difference between the two treatments due to the large interindividual variation. The net +8% average difference of total hair counts in favour of finasteride is in agreement with published data based on hair counts of ”visible” hair on photographs.

Our study indicates that thick but also thin hair growth may contribute to the beneficial effect of the treatment at one year.