The Effectiveness and Tolerability of Preformed Growth Factors Vehiculated Through Iontophoresis on Patients with Androgenetic Alopecia and Telogen Effluvium: A Clinical Study
Keywords:
iontophoresis, androgenetic alopecia, telogen effluvium, growth factors, scalp disorders, physical therapyAbstract
Background: Androgenetic alopecia is characterized by a progressive miniaturization of hair follicles in a pattern distribution in genetically predisposed individuals. The efficacy of conventional therapies is variable, therefore there is a need for adjuvant and newer treatment modalities to provide faster and better outcomes.
Objectives: Evaluation of the efficacy and tolerability of a combined therapy: preformed growth factors vehiculated through iontophoresis in patients with androgenetic alopecia and associated telogen effluvium, to obtain faster hair regrowth.
Materials and Methods: Treatment was performed between June 2018 and June 2019 on 60 patients with androgenetic alopecia and associated telogen effluvium. Each patient underwent 4 sessions in total, each session was performed every 3 weeks. Global photography and trichoscopy were collected at every session of therapy. All patients filed out a self-assessment questionnaire.
Results: Results were very promising, with improvement of hair density and thickening of the hair shaft diameter in most of patients seen with both global photography and trichoscopy. All patients were satisfied of the clinical result and reported a complete reduction in hair loss. No serious adverse side effects were reported.
Conclusions: The use of growth factors associated with iontophoresis technique is a useful treatment for treating and preventing androgenetic alopecia. In addition, in case of associated telogen effluvium, this technique allows for an early stop of hair shedding, especially when cosmetic procedures do not provide satisfactory results in patients.
References
Piraccini BM, Alessandrini A. Androgenetic alopecia. G Ital Dermatol Venereol. 2014 Feb;149(1):15-24.
Kanti V, Messenger A, Dobos G, Reygagne P, Finner A, Blumeyer A, Trakatelli M, Tosti A, Del Marmol V, Piraccini BM, Nast A, Blume-Peytavi U. Evidence-based (S3) guideline for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in women and in men - short version. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2018; 32(1): 11-22. DOI: 10.1111/jdv.14624. PMID: 29178529
Kligman AM. Pathologic dynamics of human hair loss. Telogen effluvium. Arch Dermatol. 1961; 83: 175. DOI: 10.1001/archderm.1961.01580080005001. PMID: 13756813
Trueb RM. Diffuse hair loss. In: Blume-Peytavi U, Tosti A, Whiting DA, Trueb R, editors. Hair growth and disorders, 1st edn. Berlin: Springer; 2008: 259- 272. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-540-46911-7_13
Sinclair R. Male pattern androgenetic alopecia. Br MJ. 1998;317:865-869. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.317.7162.865. PMID: 9748188
Whiting DA. Male pattern hair loss: current understanding. Int J Dermatol. 1998; 37: 561-566. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-4362.1998.00542.x PMID: 9731996
Barbareschi M. The use of minoxidil in the treatment of male and female androgenetic alopecia: a story of more than 30 years. G Ital Dermatol Venereol. 2018 Feb;153(1):102-106.
Alves R, Grimalt R. Platelet-Rich Plasma in Combination With 5% Minoxidil Topical Solution and 1 mg Oral Finasteride for the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Half-Head Study. Dermatol Surg. 2018 Jan;44(1):126-130. DOI: 10.1097/DSS.0000000000001198 PMID: 28562433
Starace M, Alessandrini A, D'Acunto C, Melandri D, Bruni F, Patrizi A, Piraccini BM. Platelet-rich plasma on female androgenetic alopecia: Tested on 10 patients. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2019 Feb;18(1):59-64. DOI: 10.1111/jocd.12550 PMID: 29707872
Kim H, Choi JW, Kim JY, Shin JW, Lee SJ, Huh CH. Low-level light therapy for androgenetic alopecia: a 24-week, randomized, double-blind, sham device-controlled multicenter trial. Dermatol Surg. 2013 Aug;39(8):1177-83. DOI: 10.1111/dsu.12200 PMID: 23551662
Avram MR, Finney R, Rogers N. Hair Transplantation Controversies. Dermatol urg. 2017 Nov;43 Suppl 2: S158-S162. DOI: 10.1097/DSS.0000000000001316 PMID: 29064980
Rose PT. Advances in Hair Restoration. Dermatol Clin. 2018 Jan;36(1):57-62. DOI: 10.1016/j.det.2017.09.008 PMID: 29108547
Rebora A. Telogen effluvium: a comprehensive review. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2019 Aug 21; 12: 583-590. DOI: 10.2147/CCID.S200471 PMID: 31686886
Philpott MP, Sanders DA, Kealey T. Effects of insulin & insulin- like growth factors on cultured human hair follicles: IGF-I at physiologic concentrations is an important regulator of hair follicle growth in vitro. J Invest Dermatol. 1994; 102:857–61. DOI: 10.1111/1523-1747.ep12382494 PMID: 8006448
Ebling FG, Hale PA, Randall VA. Hormones & hair growth. In: Goldsmith LA, editor. Biochemistry & physiology of the skin. Oxford: 2nd ed. Clarendon Press; 1991:660–90.
Parsley WM, Perez-Meza D. Review of factors affecting the growth & survival of follicular grafts. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2010; 3:69–75.
Kapoor R, Shome D. Intradermal injections of a hair growth factor formulation for enhancement of human hair regrowth-safety and efficacy evaluation in a first-in-man pilot clinical study. J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2018 Oct;20(6):369-379. DOI: 10.1080/14764172.2018.1439965 PMID: 29482481
Paus R. Frontiers in the (neuro-)endocrine controls of hair growth. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc. 2007 Dec;12(2):20-2. DOI: 10.1038/sj.jidsymp.5650050 PMID: 18004292
Starace M, Alessandrini A, Brandi N, Piraccini BM. Preliminary results of the use of scalp microneedling in different types of alopecia. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2020 Mar;19(3):646-650. DOI: 10.1111/jocd.13061 PMID: 31254437
Published
Issue
Section
License
Dermatology Practical & Conceptual applies a Creative Commons Attribution License (CCAL) to all works we publish (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Authors retain the copyright for their published work.