Study of frontal hairline patterns in Spanish Caucasian women.

BACKGROUND

Anterior hairline measurements and their possible relationship with androgen levels, sebum production, and skin hydration have not been reported in white Spanish women.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This was a prospective descriptive and analytical observational study conducted on 103 healthy premenopausal white Spanish women recruited from the health staff of Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena in Seville, Spain. Measurements were made of anterior hairline implantation, sebum levels, and the degree of hydration of the stratum corneum. Androgen levels were also determined in 50 volunteers from this group 3 to 5 days after the end of the menstrual cycle.

RESULTS

The mean age of the women was 29.7 years. A widow's peak was observed in 94.17% of the group. The mean dimensions of the widow's peak were a height of 1.01 cm and width of 2.13 cm. The mean hormone levels were within normal limits for our hospital's laboratory with the exception of 17-hydroxyprogesterone, with a mean level of 1.39 ng/mL (range, 0.6-5.9ng/mL; normal limits, 0.15-1.10 ng/mL). The mean prostate specific antigen level was 0.04ng/mL (range 0.02-0.08ng/mL; normal limits, 0.00-0.02ng/mL).

CONCLUSIONS

The hairline measurements of the white Spanish women in this study differ from those reported in American women. Knowledge of this normal pattern of anterior hairline implantation can be important in the evaluation of women with female androgenetic alopecia with male pattern, frontal fibrosing alopecia, or other established scarring alopecia seeking a surgical solution by hair transplantation.

Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. and AEDV. All rights reserved.