Examination of hair growth parameters in androgenetic alopecia in women using TrichoScan

Introduction: Female androgenetic alopecia (fAGA) is the most common form of hair loss in women. It is estimated that fAGA develops in about 50-75% of women above 65. Clinically observed hair loss is due to the continuous miniaturization of affected hair follicles. TrichoScan software for dermoscopy is a new diagnostic method for the analysis of parameters of hair growth.
Aim: To examine the parameters of hair growth in women with androgenetic alopecia (fAGA) using the TrichoScan Professional V3.0.8.76.
Material and methods: Thirty-five women were included in the study. Eighteen women aged 17-63 years were previously diagnosed with fAGA. The control group consisted of 17 healthy women aged 21-63 years, without hair loss. To analyse the reproducibility of the method in all patients measurement was made three times in the same area (right parietal region).
Results: Results of the study suggest high reproducibility of the method. The intraclass correlation (ICC) for total hair count and hair density was 96.2%. There was a statistically significant difference in most of the analysed parameters. Despite clinically observed hair loss in women with fAGA and no hair loss in the control group, there was no statistically significant difference in percentage of anagen, telogen, terminal and vellus hair. In most women the percentage of anagen hair was less than 80%. The percentage of vellus hair was above 20% only in two women with fAGA and in one in the control group.
Conclusions: The results of our study seem to be compatible with other clinical studies. Unfortunately some of our results suggest that TrichoScan Professional V3.0.8.76. is not useful in percentage examination of anagen, telogen, terminal and vellus hair. Because of controversy connected with using this diagnostic method, it is necessary to perform more objective studies.