The effect of cyproterone acetate on hair roots and hair shaft diameter in androgenetic alopecia in females

Abstract

Twenty female patients suffering from androgenetic alopecia were treated during one year with 50 micrograms ethinyloestradiol plus 2 mg cyproterone acetate and additional 20 mg cyproterone acetate on days 5-20 of the menstrual cycle. The control group consisted of eight untreated female patients with androgenetic alopecia. The parameters used to evaluate therapeutic results were trichogram, hair shaft diameter of full anagen and number of hairs measuring less than 40 microns. Hair roots were epilated from two locations of the scalp: fronto-cranial and left temporal (reference point). The trichogram of the fronto-cranial scalp region showed an increase of anagens as well as a decrease of telogens. These changes were statistically highly significant. Further, there was a decrease of dysplastic/dystrophic forms. The left temporal scalp region showed no significant differences. The mean hair shaft diameter of full anagen (n = 8) increased, while the number of hairs measuring less than 40 microns (n = 8) decreased. The last two findings showed no statistically significant differences. The therapeutic results warrant the conclusion that cyproterone acetate seems to be effective in androgenetic alopecia in women.