The hair tales of women of color in Northern Manhattan: a qualitative analysis.

Introduction: Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as phthalates, can negatively impact maternal and child health, contributing to impaired fetal growth, preterm birth, and pregnancy complications, as well as increased downstream risks of cardiometabolic disease and breast cancer. Notably, women of color (WOC) are the largest consumers of personal care products, which are a common source of EDC exposure. Methods: The Let's Reclaim Our Ancestral Roots (Let's R.O.A.R) Pilot Study developed an educational intervention delivered during pregnancy to promote reduced use of phthalate-containing hair care products (HCPs). This mixed-methods study included: (1) a quantitative analysis and (2) a qualitative analysis of the educational sessions and the semi-structured focus groups to evaluate the factors that influenced the hair care practices and product choices of WOC at various stages of life, including their current pregnancy (hereafter referred to as the hair journey). During the sessions, participants learned about EDCs (with a focus on phthalates), the unequal burden of exposure for WOC, adverse implications of exposure, and exposure reduction strategies. Focus group sessions provided insight into participants' hair journeys from childhood to the current pregnancy and explored factors during their hair product selection process. All sessions were transcribed and imported into NVivo Version 12 for coding and thematic analysis. Results: A total of 46 individuals were enrolled in the study, and 31 participated in an educational session. This current work synthesizes the qualitative analysis of this study. We identified two important life stages (before and after gaining agency over hair care practices and product choices) and three dominant themes related to HCP use: (1) products that impacted the hair journey, which involved all mentions of hair products, (2) factors that influenced the hair journey, which included individuals or entities that shaped participants' hair experiences, and (3) the relationship between hair and sense of self, where sense of self was defined as the alignment of one's inner and outer beauty. Conclusion: The themes intersected and impacted the participants' hair journey. Cultural integration was a sub-theme that overlapped within the dominant themes and participants discussed the effect of traditions on their hair experiences.

Genetic tools for studying cochlear inhibition.

Efferent feedback to the mammalian cochlea includes cholinergic medial olivocochlear neurons (MOCs) that release ACh to hyperpolarize and shunt the voltage change that drives electromotility of outer hair cells (OHCs). Via brainstem connectivity, MOCs are activated by sound in a frequency- and intensity-dependent manner, thereby reducing the amplification of cochlear vibration provided by OHC electromotility. Among other roles, this efferent feedback protects the cochlea from acoustic trauma. Lesion studies, as well as a variety of genetic mouse models, support the hypothesis of efferent protection from acoustic trauma. Genetic knockout and gain-of-function knockin of the unique α9α10-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) in hair cells show that acoustic protection correlates with the efficacy of cholinergic inhibition of OHCs. This protective effect was replicated by viral transduction of the gain-of-function α9L9'T nAChR into α9-knockout mice. Continued progress with "efferent gene therapy" will require a reliable method for visualizing nAChR expression in cochlear hair cells. To that end, mice expressing HA-tagged α9 or α10 nAChRs were generated using CRISPR technology. This progress will facilitate continued study of the hair cell nAChR as a therapeutic target to prevent hearing loss and potentially to ameliorate associated pathologies such as hyperacusis.

BAI1 localizes AMPA receptors at the cochlear afferent post-synaptic density and is essential for hearing.

Type I spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) convey sound information to the central auditory pathway by forming synapses with inner hair cells (IHCs) in the mammalian cochlea. The molecular mechanisms regulating the formation of the post-synaptic density (PSD) in the SGN afferent terminals are still unclear. Here, we demonstrate that brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor 1 (BAI1) is required for the clustering of AMPA receptors GluR2-4 (glutamate receptors 2-4) at the PSD. Adult Bai1-deficient mice have functional IHCs but fail to transmit information to the SGNs, leading to highly raised hearing thresholds. Despite the almost complete absence of AMPA receptor subunits, the SGN fibers innervating the IHCs do not degenerate. Furthermore, we show that AMPA receptors are still expressed in the cochlea of Bai1-deficient mice, highlighting a role for BAI1 in trafficking or anchoring GluR2-4 to the PSDs. These findings identify molecular and functional mechanisms required for sound encoding at cochlear ribbon synapses.

Pilose antler extract promotes hair growth in androgenic alopecia mice by promoting the initial anagen phase.

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a prevalent disease in worldwide, local application or oral are often used to treat AGA, however, effective treatments for AGA are currently limited. In this work, we observed the promoting the initial anagen phase effect of pilose antler extract (PAE) on hair regeneration in AGA mice. We found that PAE accelerated hair growth and increased the degree of skin blackness by non-invasive in vivo methods including camera, optical coherence tomography and dermoscopy. Meanwhile, HE staining of sagittal and coronal skin sections revealed that PAE augmented the quantity and length of hair follicles, while also enhancing skin thickness and hair papilla diameter. Furthermore, PAE facilitated the shift of the growth cycle from the telogen to the anagen phase and expedited the proliferation of hair follicle stem cells and matrix cells in mice with AGA. This acceleration enabled the hair follicles to enter the growth phase at an earlier stage. PAE upregulated the expression of the sonic hedgehog (SHH), smoothened receptor, glioma-associated hemolog1 (GLI1), and downregulated the expression of bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4), recombinant mothers against decapentaplegic homolog (Smad) 1 and 5 phosphorylation. This evidence suggests that PAE fosters hair growth and facilitates the transition of the growth cycle from the telogen to the anagen phase in AGA mice. This effect is achieved by enhancing the proliferation of follicle stem cells and matrix cells through the activation of the SHH/GLI pathway and suppression of the BMP/Smad pathway.

Towards a taxonomy for assessing and classifying the needs of curly hair: A mixed method, ethnographic and quantitative data study.

Hair defined as curly has an elliptical cross sectional area and unique 3D form. While the chemical, morphological and mechanical characteristics of such hair are being explored using a range of analytical techniques, hair assembly (head of hair) characteristics and individual behaviour are difficult to determine via tress-based instrumental and sensory testing. Since the demand for more efficacious and personalized products is expected to gain pace, this project sets the groundwork for developing a taxonomy for exploring and classifying curly hair needs from an individual's perspective. A mixed-method exploratory sequential design was used to gather information from people with curly hair starting with a novel in the field of cosmetics qualitative research method, Subjective Evidence-Based Ethnography (SEBE) (n = 14) and followed by an online survey (n = 212). The SEBE data analysis identified four common hair goals (aesthetic, haptic, practical and emotive) and a group of perceptions related to hair management routines. The survey explored the relationship of these hair goals with hair perceptions, hair esteem, hair characteristics and demographic variables. The findings suggest that hair goals and perceptions are stronger predictors of hair esteem than other characteristics such as hair length or curl type. Hence, a taxonomy for classifying curly hair should facilitate the development of more appropriate products, and product testing methods should incorporate such personal information in addition to objective fibre and hair assembly data. The focus of this study is on curly hair due to the lack of established methods for its objective evaluation and the personal challenges faced by people with curly and textured hair; however, the approach could be adopted to include straighter hair types.

Les cheveux décrits comme bouclés ont une surface transversale elliptique et une forme tridimensionnelle unique. Si les caractéristiques chimiques, morphologiques et mécaniques de ces cheveux sont étudiées à l'aide de diverses techniques d'analyse, il reste difficile de déterminer les caractéristiques de l'assemblage capillaire (tête du cheveu) et le comportement individuel d'une chevelure via des analyses instrumentales de la tresse et des tests sensoriels. La demande de produits plus efficaces et personnalisés allant sans doute augmenter à l'avenir, ce projet pose les bases d'une taxonomie visant à étudier et à classer les besoins liés aux cheveux bouclés du point de vue de la personne qui les porte. Une approche séquentielle à méthodes mixtes a été utilisée pour recueillir des informations qualitatives auprès de personnes ayant des cheveux bouclés à l'aide d'une ethnographie factuelle subjective (Subjective Evidence­Based Ethnography, SEBE) (n = 14), suivie d'une enquête en ligne (n = 228). L'analyse des données SEBE a permis d'identifier quatre objectifs capillaires fréquents et un ensemble de perceptions liées aux routines de gestion des cheveux. L'enquête a étudié la relation entre ces objectifs capillaires et la perception des cheveux, l'estime de soi liée aux cheveux, les caractéristiques des cheveux et les variables démographiques. Les résultats suggèrent que les objectifs et les perceptions des cheveux constituent des facteurs prédictifs plus puissants de l'estime de soi liée aux cheveux que d'autres caractéristiques comme la longueur des cheveux ou le type de boucle. Par conséquent, une taxonomie pour classer les cheveux bouclés doit faciliter le développement de produits plus appropriés, et les méthodes de test des produits devraient incorporer ces informations personnelles en plus des données objectives sur les fibres et les assemblages capillaires. Cette étude se concentre sur les cheveux bouclés en raison du manque de méthodes établies pour évaluer objectivement ce type de cheveux et des défis personnels auxquels les personnes ayant des cheveux bouclés et à texture sont confrontées. Toutefois, l'approche adoptée ici pourrait aussi permettre d'étudier les cheveux plus raides.

Integrating Single-Cell and Spatial Transcriptomics Reveals Heterogeneity of Early Pig Skin Development and a Subpopulation with Hair Placode Formation.

The dermis and epidermis, crucial structural layers of the skin, encompass appendages, hair follicles (HFs), and intricate cellular heterogeneity. However, an integrated spatiotemporal transcriptomic atlas of embryonic skin has not yet been described and would be invaluable for studying skin-related diseases in humans. Here, single-cell and spatial transcriptomic analyses are performed on skin samples of normal and hairless fetal pigs across four developmental periods. The cross-species comparison of skin cells illustrated that the pig epidermis is more representative of the human epidermis than mice epidermis. Moreover, Phenome-wide association study analysis revealed that the conserved genes between pigs and humans are strongly associated with human skin-related diseases. In the epidermis, two lineage differentiation trajectories describe hair follicle (HF) morphogenesis and epidermal development. By comparing normal and hairless fetal pigs, it is found that the hair placode (Pc), the most characteristic initial structure in HFs, arises from progenitor-like OGN+/UCHL1+ cells. These progenitors appear earlier in development than the previously described early Pc cells and exhibit abnormal proliferation and migration during differentiation in hairless pigs. The study provides a valuable resource for in-depth insights into HF development, which may serve as a key reference atlas for studying human skin disease etiology using porcine models.

Calcium channel inhibitor and extracellular calcium improve aminoglycoside-induced hair cell loss in zebrafish.

Aminoglycosides are commonly used antibiotics for treatment of gram-negative bacterial infections, however, they might act on inner ear, leading to hair-cell death and hearing loss. Currently, there is no targeted therapy for aminoglycoside ototoxicity, since the underlying mechanisms of aminoglycoside-induced hearing impairments are not fully defined. This study aimed to investigate whether the calcium channel blocker verapamil and changes in intracellular & extracellular calcium could ameliorate aminoglycoside-induced ototoxicity in zebrafish. The present findings showed that a significant decreased number of neuromasts in the lateral lines of zebrafish larvae at 5 days' post fertilization after neomycin (20 µM) and gentamicin (20 mg/mL) exposure, which was prevented by verapamil. Moreover, verapamil (10-100 µM) attenuated aminoglycoside-induced toxic response in different external calcium concentrations (33-3300 µM). The increasing extracellular calcium reduced hair cell loss from aminoglycoside exposure, while lower calcium facilitated hair cell death. In contrast, calcium channel activator Bay K8644 (20 µM) enhanced aminoglycoside-induced ototoxicity and reversed the protective action of higher external calcium on hair cell loss. However, neomycin-elicited hair cell death was not altered by caffeine, ryanodine receptor (RyR) agonist, and RyR antagonists, including thapsigargin, ryanodine, and ruthenium red. The uptake of neomycin into hair cells was attenuated by verapamil and under high external calcium concentration. Consistently, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in neuromasts exposed to neomycin was also reduced by verapamil and high external calcium. Significantly, zebrafish larvae when exposed to neomycin exhibited decreased swimming distances in reaction to droplet stimulus when compared to the control group. Verapamil and elevated external calcium effectively protected the impaired swimming ability of zebrafish larvae induced by neomycin. These data imply that prevention of hair cell damage correlated with swimming behavior against aminoglycoside ototoxicity by verapamil and higher external calcium might be associated with inhibition of excessive ROS production and aminoglycoside uptake through cation channels. These findings indicate that calcium channel blocker and higher external calcium could be applied to protect aminoglycoside-induced listening impairments.

A case of chronic kidney disease patient with rapid deterioration of renal function, hair loss, and spontaneous resolution of facial warts after COVID-19 infection.

Background: Individuals with pre-existing chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at an increased risk of experiencing severe symptoms if infected with COVID-19. This report presents the case of a patient with CKD who contracted COVID-19 and subsequently experienced rapid deterioration of kidney function, hair loss, and spontaneous remission of facial warts. Case presentation: A 60-year-old Chinese man with a decade-long history of abnormal serum creatinine (Scr) levels and recently heightened fatigue sought treatment. The disease was previously managed and deemed resolved in 2020. However, when he contracted the novel coronavirus on December 20, 2022, he experienced persistent fatigue without other symptoms. In early January 2023, Scr levels was examined as more than 300 µmol/L. This was followed by hair loss, including eyebrows and lashes, and the spontaneous resolution of a longstanding facial wart. During this period, although the patient received kidney-protecting drugs and a lifestyle optimization, Scr increased continuously and the disease eventually progressed to the uremic stage. As the patient still had relatively abundant urine volume, the patient chose peritoneal dialysis treatment. At a two-month follow-up, he had adhered to the CAPD protocol without complications and his hair had begun to regrow. After eight months, his hair had mostly regrown, and his Scr levels kept stable. Conclusion: This case may represent the inaugural instance of CKD patients experiencing rapid deterioration of renal function, hair loss, and spontaneous remission of common warts. The underlying mechanisms of this unique phenomenon warrant further researches and debate.

Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Women Having Female Pattern Hair Loss.

Background: Many studies have associated male androgenetic alopecia with the risk of cardiovascular disorders but very few studies have addressed this association in women with FPHL. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional hospital-based study in which a total of 50 women (18-45 years) were recruited. The objective was to measure carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) by doppler ultrasound, Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, lipid profile, fasting blood sugar (FBS), insulin, testosterone, Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), hs-CRP, ESR and fibrinogen, in pre-menopausal women having FPHL and to correlate these parameters with severity of FPHL. The prevalence of Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and Insulin resistance were evaluated. Results: Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance were found in 12 (24%) and 17 (34%) cases respectively. Hypercholesterolemia, elevated LDL levels and hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL levels and hyperinsulinemia were found in 11 (22%), 31 (62%), 9 (18%), 17 (34%) and 7 (14%) cases respectively. 8 (16%) cases were diabetics. Elevated ESR, increased fibrinogen levels and elevated hs-CRP were found in 43 (86%), 10 (20%) and 21 (42%) cases respectively. CIMT was found to be within its normal range. Correlation of CIMT, anthropometric indices (BMI and WC), biochemical markers (serum cholesterol, triglycerides, FBS, and fibrinogen), and presence of metabolic syndrome with severity of FPHL in terms of Ludwig grade was found to be statistically significant. Conclusions: The determination of metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and acute phase reactants such as hs-CRP and fibrinogen may be useful screening methods to detect increased cardiovascular risk in women with FPHL.

Growth Factors and Microneedling in Alopecia Areata: A Narrative Review.

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune condition that causes non-scarring hair loss on the scalp or other hair-bearing surfaces. Various signalling molecules regulate the hair cycle and hair follicle regeneration. These include genes, growth factors, nuclear receptors, cytokines, and subcellular signalling pathways. Growth factors can cause the vascular endothelium and dermal fibroblasts to proliferate, extend the anagen phase, and delay the initiation of catagen in the hair follicle, thereby promoting hair growth. Microneedling causes the release of growth factors and has been shown to help high-molecular-weight drugs penetrate the stratum corneum and hair follicles. These recent discoveries regarding the pathogenesis of AA have resulted in the development of promising therapies. Herein, this article reviews the use of growth factors and microneedling in the treatment of AA and explores their efficacy and safety. Treatment with growth factors and microneedling appears to be highly effective for AA, with no major adverse effects, and may provide a new option for hair regeneration therapy. To support the efficacy of growth factors and microneedling for AA treatment, additional large-scale studies of patients with AA are needed.

Hair dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate as biomarker of employees' well-being? A longitudinal investigation of support, resilience, and work engagement during COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: Building on the motivational process of the job demands-resources (JD-R) theory, in the current research we investigated the longitudinal association between supervisor support/resilience as job/personal resources, work engagement (WE) and hair dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, or DHEA(S), as a possible biomarker of employees' well-being. Methods: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, 122 workers completed two self-report questionnaires (i.e., psychological data): the former at Time 1 (T1) and the latter three months afterwards, at Time 2 (T2). Participants also collected a strand of hair (i.e., biological data) at T2. Results: Results from path analysis showed that both SS and resilience at T1 were positively related to WE at T2, which, in its turn, was positively related to hair DHEA(S) at T2. Both SS and resilience at T1 had a positive indirect effect on hair DHEA(S) at T2 through WE at T2, which fully mediated the association between job/personal resources and hair DHEA(S). Discussion: Overall, results are consistent with the motivational process of the JD-R. Furthermore, this study provides preliminary evidence for the role of hair DHEA(S) as a biomarker of WE, a type of work-related subjective well-being that plays a central role in the motivational process of the JD-R, leading to favorable personal and organizational outcomes. Finally, the article outlines practical implications for organizations and professionals to foster WE within the workplace.

Establishing effective interpretation criteria in hair analysis to distinguish between passive and active cocaine exposure: Insights from authentic hair samples collected from professional individuals exposed to cocaine.

Interpretation results of hair analysis, particularly for cocaine, can be challenging due to the need to differentiate between active use or passive contamination. Our study aimed to assess the impact of varying degrees of passive cocaine exposure hair analysis results and their interpretation. Hair samples (n = 25) were categorized based on the declared cocaine exposure of volunteers: (a) high, involving handling up to several kilograms of cocaine powder from dismantling illegal distribution sites; (b) medium, where staff dealt with cocaine blocks (up to kilograms); and (c) low, with staff in contact with up to grams of cocaine for laboratory analysis. Hair samples were decontaminated using dichloromethane, water, and methanol. The samples and final wash were analyzed for cocaine, benzoylecgonine, norcocaine, cocaethylene, m-OH-benzoylecgonine, and ecgonine methyl ester using a validated UPLC-MS/MS method. Cocaine hair concentrations ranges were as follows (pg/mg): high (n = 53 segments) < LLOQ(32)-7046; medium (n = 91) < LLOQ-939; and low (n = 54) < LLOQ-292. All hair samples had concentrations below the LLOQ for cocaethylene, ecgonine methyl ester, and m-OH-benzoylecgonine. Applying the SoHT cocaine cut-off in combination with a hair/wash ratio criterion identified 97% of the samples as contaminated. This study advocates for a comprehensive approach in evaluating cocaine hair concentrations. This involves integrating the 500 pg/mg decision limit for cocaine with a criterion comparing wash and hair concentration. Additionally, confirming the presence of specific metabolites is crucial. This multifaceted method effectively distinguishes between environmental contamination and active cocaine usage. The research contributes significantly to refining cocaine exposure assessment in professional contexts.

Assessment of the adaptive capacity of Morada Nova ewes with different coat coloration.

Coat color is a factor affecting heat tolerance in tropical ruminant and a particular coat color can determine which is more resilient to environmental changes. The aim of this study was to measure the level of adaptation of Morada Nova sheep with different coat color by using an Adaptability Index (AI). Adult ewes were used, including two different coat colors of Morada Nova sheep (red and white) with mean of body weight of 28.02 ± 5.70 kg and 31.47 ± 3.41 kg, respectively. Physiology parameters, hematology, electrolytes, acid-base status, mineral, renal functions, metabolites, enzymes, and proteins were measured. AI was designed using a multivariate approach (principal component analysis) to "weigh" the influence of each variable in the animal responses. The variables more important for adaptive aspects of Red Morada Nova were: haematology, electrolytes and acid-base status. The hemoglobin (HG), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), sodium (Na+), oxygen pressure (PO2), glucose (GLU) and albumin (ALB) were significantly higher in Red Morada Nova sheep and hydrogen carbonate (HCO3), base excess (BE), total carbon dioxide concentration (TCO2) and URE were significantly higher in the white phenotype. The variables more important for adaptive aspects of White Morada Nova sheep were: (K+), total protein (TP), PO2, HG, cholesterol (CHO), rectal temperature (RT) and glucose (GLU). Both phenotypes showed a high adaptation level, however, a higher value was generated for the Red Morada Nova sheep (81.97). This study concludes that both phenotypes of the Morada Nova sheep breed are well adapted to the climatic condition of the Brazilian tropical region using different adaptive mechanisms.

Deletion of Luzp2 Does Not Cause Hearing Loss in Mice.

Deafness is the prevailing sensory impairment among humans, impacting every aspect of one's existence. Half of congenital deafness cases are attributed to genetic factors. Studies have shown that Luzp2 is expressed in hair cells (HCs) and supporting cells of the inner ear, but its specific role in hearing remains unclear. To determine the importance of Luzp2 in auditory function, we generated mice deficient in Luzp2. Our results revealed that Luzp2 has predominant expression within the HCs and pillar cells. However, the loss of Luzp2 did not result in any changes in auditory threshold. HCs or synapse number and HC stereocilia morphology in Luzp2 knockout mice did not show any notable distinctions. This was the first study of the role of Luzp2 in hearing in mice, and our results provide important guidance for the screening of deafness genes.

Proteomic Profiling of Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia Reveals Role of Humoral Immune Response Pathway and Metabolic Dysregulation.

Proteomic profiling on other primary cicatricial alopecias, such as frontal fibrosing alopecia and lichen planopilaris, have suggested a T helper 1-mediated inflammatory pathway, but in central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA), the protein expression patterns are unknown. In this study, we sought to characterize protein expression patterns in CCCA to identify biomarkers of disease activity that will identify potential therapeutic avenues for treatment. Scalp protein quantification was performed to understand protein expression patterns in affected versus unaffected scalps in CCCA. A total of 5444 proteins were identified, of which 148 proteins were found to be differentially expressed in CCCA-affected scalp, with upregulation of adaptive immune pathways (IGHG3, P = .034; IGHG4, P = .01; IGG1, P = .026) and markers of fibrosis (ITGA1, P = .016; SFRP2, P = .045; TPM2, P = .029; SLMAP, P = .016) and downregulation of metabolic proteins (ALOX15B, P = .003; FADS2, P = .006; ELOVL5, P = .007; FA2H, P = .017; FAR2, P = .011; SC5D, P < .001). Our analysis revealed, to our knowledge, previously unknown humoral immune canonical pathways, notably IgG, implicated in CCCA and additionally confirmed aberrant lipid metabolism pathways implicated in diabetes mellitus, suggesting unique mechanisms of disease in patients with CCCA.

Trunk hair removal treatment with diode laser 810 nm in men population.

In the last years, hair removal has been one of the most common treatments performed for aesthetic purposes, especially in women. Nevertheless, even if it is less popular, the demand within men population has risen. The study aimed to assess the acceptability of the diode 810 nm treatment for hair removal on the back and chest area in men thanks to the speed of treatment and the absence of undesirable effects. For this study, 20 patients were treated for hair removal. They were men with a mean age of 30.5 (±7.3). They underwent 4 treatment sessions at 40-day intervals on the trunk (chest and back area). Patients ranged between a Fitzpatrick phototype I (20%, 4/20) to IV (15%, 3/20) (40% were type II and 25% type III). Moreover, patients were asked to report pain intensity sensation with a visual analogue scale. Overall, in the study population, a hair reduction of 80.6% (±2.8) was registered in the treated areas. The device described in this study was demonstrated to be highly efficient in extended body areas and on difficult-to-treat hair follicles like on the back and chest in the men population.

Efficacy of topical minoxidil in enhancing beard growth in a group of transgender assigned female at birth individuals on gender affirming hormone therapy.

PURPOSE: Testosterone therapy represents the cornerstone of gender affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) among t-AFAB (transgender Assigned Female At Birth) people. Minoxidil is a vasodilator drug approved for topical use for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of topical minoxidil in enhancing beard growth in a group of t-AFAB people on GAHT. METHODS: Sixteen t-AFAB individuals with an incomplete beard development, on GAHT for at least 6 months, were enrolled. Topical minoxidil was applied to the interested facial areas. Before starting (T0), after 3 (T3) and 6 (T6) months, we evaluated facial hair growth using the Ferriman-Gallwey modified score (FGm). RESULTS: Subjects were 26 (2.7) years old and on GAHT for 18.5 [15-54] months; using a paired match evaluation, a statistically significant facial hair growth was observed over time, in particular at T6 (median upper lip FGm 3.5 [3-4] vs 2 [1-2] at T0 and chin FGm 4 [3.25-4] vs 1 [1-2] at T0; p ≤ 0.002). Comparing the minoxidil group with a control group (n = 16) matched for age and BMI who developed a full-grown beard only with GAHT, a logistic multivariable analysis identified hirsutism before GAHT was independently positively associated with the development of a full beard [OR 15.22 (95% CI 1.46-158.82); p = 0.023]. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study demonstrating the efficacy of topical minoxidil in enhancing facial hair growth among t-AFAB people on GAHT. Further studies will be necessary to assess whether the obtained improvements will persist after discontinuing the medication.