Analysis of Serum Zinc and Copper Concentrations in Hair Loss

The need for a widely accepted, accurate, and reproducible standard of classification for male pattern baldness has increased with the advent and increasing popularity of hair transplant surgery. This report establishes such a classification, and reports its use in determining the incidence of male pattern baldness at various ages in 1,000 white adult male subjects. The action of testosterone as an incitant in male pattern baldness is well known, but this study points out the continued effect of time, even in later years. Since most hair transplant surgery is peformed on subjects with male pattern baldness, and because the success of hair transplant surgery is largely dependent on proper patient selection, a complete understanding of male pattern baldness is essential for consistently good results with hair transplantation.

Androgenetic alopecia in the female occurs much more frequently than is generally believed. The condition is still considered infrequent, for it differs, in its clinical picture and in the sequence of events leading to it, from common baldness in men. To facilitate an early diagnosis (desirable in view of the therapeutic possibilities by means of antiandrogens) a classification of the stages of the common form (female type) of androgenetic alopecia in women is presented. The exceptionally observed male type of androgenetic alopecia can be classified according to Hamilton or to the modification of this classification proposed by Ebling & Rook.