Month: January 2023

In the article recently published in Science Translational Medicine, it was shown that the enzyme prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) was elevated in bald scalps at the mRNA and protein levels.

In a group of 17 men, bald scalp was compared with haired scalp and showed elevated PGD2 levels. The authors also found that PGD2 and a related metabolite 15-dPGJ2 inhibited hair growth in both mice and men, providing insights into the prostaglandin pathway in genetic balding. They found a receptor in the bald scalp which is responsible for mediating the negative effects of PGD2, suggesting that therapeutic drug targets could be developed for a possible topical treatment. They have determined that this receptor may impact the hair characteristics (i.e. straight or curly).

Dr. Walter Unger wrote his take as follows:

Unfortunately, baldness is not caused by a single factor but rather multiple ones. The most important and well-known one is the correlation of balding with a male hormone called dihydrotestosterone (which is a byproduct of the more well-known testosterone). Specifically, we have known for many years that you cannot develop MPB unless you have an excess production of that hormone in the affected areas. Yet, many years later, we still do not have a “cure” for everybody’s baldness either in terms of stopping the progression in everybody or regrowing hair in everybody though anti-dihydrotestosterone drugs such as finasteride (Propecia) and Dutasteride certainly help many people with male pattern baldness (MPB) and female pattern hair loss (FPHL)—to varying degrees.

Dr. Garza’s and Dr. Cotsarelis’s announcement of the role of another factor, Prostaglandin D2 synthase, appears to represent another building block towards the ultimate goal of medical treatment of MPB and perhaps FPHL. However, we have no idea as yet, if it is, for example, more or less important than dihydrotestosterone or any other of the substances already implicated in MPB and FPHL. Unfortunately, despite the media frenzy, “the end of baldness” likely remains well down the road.

Hello Dr. Rassman,

First I want to excuse for my not-so-good English.

I am a 23-year-old male. About 2 years ago I noticed my hair thinning all over the top of my head and the hairline slowly eroding away from its original position. I’ve been on finasteride for about 20 months.

Anyway, I’ll get straight to the problem… About half a year ago I noticed strange-looking random hairs on the top of my head. My natural hair colour is dark brown, but mentioned hairs are ebony black. Not only that, but they are at least twice thicker and very wiry. They are easily noticeable, because they don’t mix with my normal hair when combing. Even though my hair is around 3” in length, they stand there almost vertically, slightly curled up.

As I mentioned, 6 months ago they were just some couple of random hairs. Lately I have noticed more and more of hairs like that sprouting up. They look nothing like my hair. In fact, they don’t look like human hair at all. At least not the kind you’d expect one to have growing on his head.

I’m really clueless as to what is going on with me. I have tried searching all over the Internet. I have found people with similar problems, but no one really knows what they are about.

Perhaps You can help me.

Thanks!

Hmm… so you are saying you have non-human like hair growing on your scalp? Is there a correlation with a full moon? Do you have an urge to howl?

Sometimes hairs can have different textures and there may be no direct reason for this. Maybe it is hormonal. I do not know. If you’re concerned, you should see a doctor about it.