WEDNESDAY, Nov. 21 (HealthDay News) -- In a cross-sectional survey among Taiwanese men, smoking was linked to androgenetic alopecia, according to research published in the November issue of the Archives of Dermatology.
Lin-Hui Su, M.D., of the Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, and Tony Hsiu-Hsi Chen, Ph.D., of National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan, analyzed data from 740 men aged 40 to 91. The researchers classified the degree of subjects' hair loss and assessed other potential risk factors, such as smoking, body mass index, lipids and family history.
Moderate or severe androgenetic alopecia, after controlling for age and family history, was associated with past or current smoking (odds ratio 1.77), currently smoking 20 or more cigarettes daily (OR, 2.34), and smoking intensity (OR, 1.78). The risk of moderate or severe androgenetic alopecia increased with family history (first degree: OR, 13.38; second degree: OR, 6.33).
"The mechanisms by which smoking causes hair loss may be multifactorial. First, cigarette smoking may be deleterious to the microvasculature of the dermal hair papilla. Second, smoke genotoxicants may do damage to DNA of the hair follicle. Third, smoking may lead to an imbalance in the follicular protease or antiprotease system. Smoking-induced oxidative stress may lead to the release of proinflammatory cytokines that, in turn, results in follicular microinflammation and fibrosis. Fourth, cigarette smoking may yield a relative hypoestrogenic state by inducing increased hydroxylation of estradiol and inhibition of aromatase," the authors write.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
