Androgenetic alopecia: combining medical and surgical treatments. Dermatol Surg, 2003 ; 29 : 1130-1134.
Androgenetic alopecia is a specific type of alopecia that is characterized by progressive miniaturization of hair scalp follicles. Hair follicle sensitivity to circulating androgens is genetically predetermined. Nowadays, two drug molecules (5% minoxidil solution and finasteride orally) were used to stabilize hair loss and promote hair regrowth. These molecules stimulate, through various mechanisms, increase in diameter and length of preexisting fine hairs. Microtransplant of follicular units and of minigrafts and micrografts is a mere technical progress by itself. In fact, it does not only give a definitive hair restoration of male and female baldness, but also brings hairs that naturally emerge from a single orifice in a group of one to three hairs. Hair implantation is made in a simple and painless way. Therefore, it is logical to combine the stabilizing and trichogenous effects of both molecules to a surgical technique that brings about natural and definitive hairs.
