Best.
Admin

I was under the impression that although "baldness is inside the follicle", there still had to be a certain concentration of testosterone circulating to initiate transcritptional activation of growth inhibitory compounds. Either that or receptor sensitivity and or 5aR activity must increase with age, right? After all, I am quite sure that I had as much or more T circulating as a teen and in my early 20's... so why was there not any sign of MPB then?

Also, it has been stated on another site (in a study) that 5aR activity from follicles other than that of the scalp (i.e. body hair) significantly contributes to circulating DHT levels. So if DHT is circulating, then does it not connect with androgen receptors of the scalp hair follicles as testosterone does, and have the potential to initiate further MPB?

As for Accutane. If you look on the net, and speak to them personally (as I have done with some of them), you will see that there are many people who suffer from Telogen Effluvium after taking Accutane. We're not talking just a few months after stopping treatment, or during treatment. They can be suffering from TE up to 3 years after treatment. And they all believe (with probable cause) that Accutane had something to do with it. Is it not possible that Accutane in high doses can do this? It is a mutagen, and some people take very high doses for their cystic acne.

And finally, as for the hair transplantions... it is very untrue that all transplant clinics use technicians. Most reputable transplant doctors do the procedures themselves, and the best ones achieve fantastic results. There's one testimonial on the front page of hairlosstalk.com that is representative of an excellent transplant experience. However, as you stated, there are some transplant organizations that DO use technicians, and I wouldn't get a hair transplant done at these places if my life depended on it. Instead, I would go with an independent doctor, or a small group of doctors who have a very proven track record. I would also meet with some former patients. Anyway, back to studying for me!

AGA - is genetically predetermined. Guys with or without AGA have almost the same androgens level. It is the way androgen signal in proceeded intra-follicular really matters for AGA.

I agree, that if you'll get rid of all body hair, this might somehow change androgens balance. But, I doubt, that it will be something major.
Keep in mind, that organism will react to sudden depletion of androgens by its increase production in other tissues: prostate, seminal vesicles, epididymides, liver etc....
I'm sure, these tissues will restore initial level very quickly.

Therefore, one should concentrate on trying to modify hair response to androgens, rather than trying to disrupt everything.

2. Telogen Effluvium - is something completely different from AGA. actually it is more or less synchronous entering of resting stage by about 30% of scalp HFs.
Telogen Effluvium is actually a very broad term. Give one a high X-ray dosage you can get permanent TE, due to total destruction of HFs.
Postpartum TE is, on the other side pretty normal and totally reversible
Again, TE is not AGA. Seems to me, that you got AGA.

3. HT question: that is why I don't want to discuss Dr. Woods, whom I haven't met personally. If he says, that all stages of Hf procedure are performed by surgeons - than it is great. it gives much more confidence.
I admit, that HF works and works great for many bald guys. But only if they are realistic. Is it your case. you are just 29. if you are expectation to get the same density as when you was 19, than you'll never be satisfied.
If the men is really bald and this affects his whole life - than he'll be happy even to the slight improvements in his look.
Again, HT is OK, but is not equally great solution or everybody.

As for me confusing TE with AGA: that is not the case. The reason I brought up TE is because people who have gone on Accutane have reported diffuse thinning up to 4 years after discontinuing use. Just to clarify my own hair thinning:

1) Very little recession at the temporal regions.

2) On top of my head (not the vertex), there is diffuse thinning.If I part my hair in the middle, or on the right, the part line is big. My widow's peak (which I've always had) and front hairline is somewhat transparent, in that under bright light, I can see my white scalp. Again... the front hairline has been minimally affected. I really can't tell if the sides or back of my head have been affected since I always keep the hair there short.

So that leaves one or two possible causes that I can see. Either it's TE or female pattern baldness.

Anyway, you are correct about DHT. Likely, we should concentrate on a solution which affects DHT action in the hair follicle, or should engineer follicles that don't respond to DHT.

Any more advice and or lessons are appreciated!

-Scott

I doubt that there is any connection between your AGA and Accutane.
Anyway, I've not read much about Accutane and hairloss. if you know any article, that have statistical conformation of this...

regards,
admin

I personally have not run across any articles that have numbers cited by an independent 3rd party; I've mostly gotten my information concerning TE and Accutane from talking to people personally, and on the internet. Remember, Merck won't admit to something like this (i.e. it can cause a chronic TE state of your hair)... they are making a killing by monopolizing the one drug that is proven to cure acne. I had the worst cystic acne, not only on my face, but on my back. Nothing, and I mean nothing worked except for Accutane. However I do know that now, Merck is putting new warnings out with the packaging stating that Accutane can cause long term TE. So now they do it...

On a different subject, I had a suggestion. I know you're a busy person, but I was wondering if you'd mind putting all of your articles in "headline news", located on the front page, into a PDF file. I do enjoy reading the new postings, and would like to be able to print them out and take them home to study (instead of printing out the whole front page with graphics and all). If you're not able to do this, it's not a big deal at all. Thanks again, and please keep this site going! I love the fact that it's the most technical and thus, "high-level" site I've come across for hairloss biology!

-Scott

Unfortunately, many pharmaceutical companies do mask real clinical trials results, just to please FDA.
For example, when they do human testing, there is extensive pre- and post-selection going on. I.e., if they feel like, that particular person won't show results they want, they will delete him from their database. As a result, statistics looks better. Therefore, one must be very cautioned and suspicious, even reading their official data.

About PDF file. Hmmmm...you right, I should do this. I'll work something out in couple next days.

Regards,
Admin.

if so, than they can cause tons of side effects, including for men: "...shrinking of the testicles, reduced sperm count, infertility, baldness, development of breasts, increased risk for prostate cancer..."
Look for full list of side efects at:
http://www.lec.org/DrugSearch/Documents/Steroids.html

Do you refer to "development of breasts" as "some immediate side effects"?

Accutane, on the other hand is related to both retinoic acid and retinol .