Skip to main content

Hair Growth Assessment Techniques

  • Chapter
Hair Growth and Disorders

Abstract

• Qualitative and quantitative methods are essential for objectively evaluating hair growth activity.

• Standardized techniques are mandatory for clinical studies and for evaluating agents that inhibit or promote hair growth.

• Hair density, hair width, and global photography evaluation are generally accepted parameters for judging hair volume, hair growth, and hair loss.

• For daily practice and individual trichologic followup, videodermoscopy, pull test, TrichoScan and in selected cases scalp biopsy are helpful tools.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 299.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Barman JM, Pecoraro V, Astore I (1964) Method, technic and computations in the study of the trophic state of human scalp hair. J Invest Dermatol 42: 421-5.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Barth JH (1997) How hairy are hirsute women? Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 47(3):255-60.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Barth JH, Rushton DH (1995) Measurement of hair growth. In: Serud J, Jemec GBE (eds) Non-invasive methods and the skin, vol. 1. CRP Press, Ann Arbor, Mich., pp 543-8.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Beek CH (1950) A study on extension and distribution of the human body-hair. Dermatologica. 101(6):317-31.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Binnig G, Quate CF, Gerber C (1986) Atomic force microscope. Phys Rev Lett 56(9):930-3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Blanchard G, Blanchard B (1984) Proposition d’une approche topographique de la transplantation capillaire et de reduction tonsurale. Ann Chir Plast Esthet 29:152-61

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Blume U, Ferracin J, Verschoore M et al (1991) Physiology of the vellus hair follicle: hair growth and sebum excretion. Br J Dermatol 124:21-8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Blume-Peytavi U, Orfanos CE (1995) Microscopy of the hair. In: Serud J, Jemec GBE (eds) Non-invasive methods and the skin, vol. 1. CRP Press, Ann Arbor, Mich., pp 549-54.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Blume-Peytavi U, Vieten J, Knüttel A et al (2004) Optical coherent tomography (OCT): a new method for online-measurement of hair shaft thickness. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges 2(6):546.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Blume-Peytavi U, Orfanos CE (2006) Microscopy of the hair – the trichogram. In: Serup J, Jemec GBE, Grove GL (eds) Handbook of non-invasive methods and the skin, 2nd edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla.,pp 875-81

    Google Scholar 

  11. Boone CM, Waterval JC, Lingeman H et al (1999) Capillary electrophoresis as a versatile tool for the bioanalysis of drugs – a review. J Pharm Biomed Anal 20(6):831-63.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Bouhanna P (1985) The phototrichogram, a macrophotographic study of the scalp. Bioengineer Skin 3:265.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Bouhanna P (2000) Multifactorial classification of male and female androgenetic alopecia. Dermatol Surg 26(6):555-61.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Bouhanna P, Nataf J (1976) A propos des transplantations des cuir chevelu: critiques et propositions. Rev Chir Esthet 7:17-23

    Google Scholar 

  15. Camacho F (1988) Clínica de las alopecias. Clasificación general. Monogr Dermatol 1:33-72.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Canfield D (1996) Photographic documentation of hair growth in androgenetic alopecia. Dermatol Clin 14(4):713-21.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Chamberlain AJ, Dawber RP (2003) Methods of evaluating hair growth. Australas J Dermatol 44(1):10-18.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. de Cássia Comis Wagner R, Kiyohara PK, Silveira M (2007) Electron microscopic observations of human hair medulla. J Microsc 226(Pt 1):54-63.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Deloche C, de Lacharriere O, Misciali C et al. (2004) Histological features of peripilar signs associated with androgenetic alopecia. Arch Dermatol Res 295:422-8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. DeUgarte CM, Woods KS, Bartolucci AA et al (2006) Degree of facial and body terminal hair growth in unselected black and white women: toward a populational definition of hirsutism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 91:1345-50.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Díez S, Montuori P, Querol X et al (2007) Total mercury in the hair of children by combustion atomic absorption spectrometry (Comb-AAS). J Anal Toxicol 31(3):144-9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Drummer O (ed.) (1998) Guidelines for testing drugs under international control in hair, sweat and saliva, United Nations International Drug Control Programme. New York

    Google Scholar 

  23. Ebling, FJG, Rook A (1972) Hair. In: Rook AJ, Wilkinson DS, Ebling FJ (eds) Textbook of dermatology, 2nd edn. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications, p. 1588.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Elston DM, McCollough ML, Angeloni VL (1995) Vertical and transverse sections of alopecia biopsy specimens: combining the two to maximize diagnostic yield. J Am Acad Dermatol 32(3):454-7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Feit LJ (1969) Pathogenic classification of male pattern baldness. New innovations in surgical techniques. Int Surg 51(1):58-67.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Ferriman D, Gallwey JD (1961) Clinical assessment of body hair growth in women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 21:1440-7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Fink-Puches R, Hofmann-Wellenhof R, Smolle J et al (1995) Confocal laser scanning microscopy: a new optical microscopic technique for applications in pathology and dermatology. J Cutan Pathol 22(3):252-9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Friedel J, Will F, Grosshans E (1989) Phototrichogram: adaptation, standardization and applications. Ann Dermatol Venereol 116:629-36.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Frishberg DP, Sperling LC, Guthrie VM (1996) Transverse scalp sections: a proposed method for laboratory processing. J Am Acad Dermatol 35(2 Pt 1):220-2.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Garn SM (1951) Types and distribution of the hair in man. Ann N Y Acad Sci 53(3):498-507.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Gottardo R, Fanigliulo A, Bortolotti F et al (2007) Broad-spectrum toxicological analysis of hair based on capillary zone electrophoresis-time-of-flight mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A 1159(1-2):190-7. Epub 2007 Jun 7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Guarrera M, Ciulla MP (1986) A quantitative evaluation of hair loss: the phototrichogramm. J Appl Cosmetol 4:61-6.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Guarrera M, Semino MT, Rebora A (1997) Quantitating hair loss in women: a critical approach. Dermatology 194(1):12-16.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Gurden SP, Monteiro VF, Longo E (2004) Quantitative analysis and classification of AFM images of human hair. J Microsc 215(Pt 1):13-23.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Hadjur C, Daty G, Madry G et al (2002) Cosmetic assessment of the human hair by confocal microscopy. Scanning 24:59-64.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Hahn S, Janssen OE, Tan S et al (2005) Clinical and psychological correlates of quality-of-life in polycystic ovary syndrome. Eur J Endocrinol 153(6):853-60.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Hamilton JB (1951) Patterned loss of hair in man; types and incidence. Ann N Y Acad Sci 53(3):708-28.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Hatch R, Rosenfield RL, Kim MH et al (1981) Hirsutism: implications, etiology, and management. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1;140(7):815-30.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Hayashi S, Miyamoto I, Takeda K (1991) Measurement of human hair growth by optical microscopy and image analysis. Br J Dermatol 125:123-9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Headington JT (1984) Transverse microscopic anatomy of the human scalp: a basis for a morphometric approach to disorders of the hair follicle. Arch Dermatol 120:449-56.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Hoffmann R (2001) TrichoScan: combining epiluminescence microscopy of hair growth in vivo. Eur J Dermatol 11:362-8.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Hoffmann R (2005) TrichoScan: what is new? Dermatology. 211(1):54-62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Hoffmann R, Happle R (2000) Current understanding of androgenetic alopecia. Part II: clinical aspects and treatment. Eur J Dermatol 10(5):410-17.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Hoffmann R, Van Neste D (2005) Recent findings with computerized methods for scalp hair growth measurements. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc 10(3):285-8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Huang D, Swanson EA, Lin CP et al (1991) Optical coherence tomography. Science. Nov 254(5035):1178-81.

    Google Scholar 

  46. Josefsson M, Kronstrand R, Andersson J et al (2003) Evaluation of electrospray ionisation liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for rational determination of a number of neuroleptics and their major metabolites in human body fluids and tissues. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 789(1):151-67.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Kintz P (2003) Testing for anabolic steroids in hair: a review. Leg Med (Tokyo) 5[Suppl 1]:S29-33.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Lacarruba F, Dall’Oglio F, Nasca MR et al (2004) Videodermatoscopy enhances diagnostic capability in some forms of hair loss. Am J Clin Dermatol 5:205-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Lee WS, Ro BI, Hong SP et al (2007) A new classification of pattern hair loss that is universal for men and women: basic and specific (BASP) classification. J Am Acad Dermatol 57(1):37-46. Epub 2007 Apr 30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Lorenzo EM (1970) Familial study of hirsutism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 31:556-64.

    Google Scholar 

  51. Ludwig E (1977) Classification of the types of androgenetic alopecia (common baldness) occurring in the female sex. Br J Dermatol 97(3):247-54.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Lunde O (1984) A study of body hair density and distribution in normal women. Am J Phys Anthropol 64(2):179-84.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Maguire HC, Kligman AM (1964) Hair plucking as a diagnostic tool. J Invest Dermatol 43:77-9.

    Google Scholar 

  54. Norwood OT (1975) Male pattern baldness: classification and incidence. South Med J 68:1359-65.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. O’Connor SD, Komisarek KL, Baldeschwieler JD (1995) Atomic force microscopy of human hair cuticles: a microscopic study of environmental effects on hair morphology. J Invest Dermatol 105(1):96-9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Ogata T (1953) Development of patterned alopecia. Sogo Rinsho 2:101-6.

    Google Scholar 

  57. Olsen EA (2003) Current and novel methods for assessing efficacy of hair growth promoters in pattern hair loss. J Am Acad Dermatol 48(2):253-62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Olsen EA, Hordinsky MK, Price VH et al (2004) Alopecia areata investigational assessment guidelines – Part II. National Alopecia Areata Foundation. J Am Acad Dermatol 51(3):440-7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Pedersen J (1943) Hypertrichosis in women. Acta Derm Venereol 12:1-23.

    Google Scholar 

  60. Pelfini C, Calligaro A (1986) Evaluation of hair growth by means of morphometric computerized analysis. J Appl Cosmetol 4:67-76.

    Google Scholar 

  61. Piérard GE, Piérard-Franchimont C, Marks R et al (2004) EEMCO guidance for the assessment of hair shedding and alopecia. Skin Pharmacol Physiol 17(2):98-110.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Pragst F, Balikova MA (2006) State of the art in hair analysis for detection of drug and alcohol abuse. Clin Chim Acta 370(1-2):17-49. Epub 2006 Mar 6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Price VH, Menefee E (1990) Quantitative estimation of hair growth. I. Androgenetic alopecia in women: effect of minoxidil. J Invest Dermatol 95:677-682.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  64. Price VH, Menefee E, Sanchez M et al (2006) Changes in hair weight in men with androgenetic alopecia after treatment with finasteride (1 mg daily): three- and 4-year results. J Am Acad Dermatol 55(1):71-4. Epub May 3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  65. Rebora A, Guarrera M, Baldari M et al (2005) Distinguishing androgenetic alopecia from chronic telogen effluvium when associated in the same patient. Arch Dermatol 143:1243-5.

    Google Scholar 

  66. Rook A, Dawber R (1982) Hair follicle structure, keratinisation and the physical properties of hair. In: Rook A, Dawber R (eds) Disease of the hair and scalp. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific, pp. 18-48.

    Google Scholar 

  67. Rosenfield RL (2005) Hirsutism. N Engl J Med 353(24)2578-88.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Ross EK, Vincenzi C, Tosti A (2006) Videodermoscopy in the evaluation of hair and scalp disorders. J Am Acad Dermatol 55:799-806.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  69. Rushton H, James KC, Mortimer CH (1983) The unit area trichogram in the assessment of androgen-dependent alopecia. Br J Dermatol 109:429-37.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  70. Rushton DH, Ramsay ID, James KC et al (1990) Biochemical and trichological characterization of diffuse alopecia in women. Br J Dermatol 123:187-97.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  71. Rushton DH, de Brouwer B, de Coster W et al (1993) Comparative evaluation of scalp hair by phototrichogram and unit area trichogram analysis within the same subjects. Acta Derm Venereol 73(2):150-3.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  72. Saitoh M, Uzuka M, Sakamoto M (1970) Human hair cycle. J Invest Dermatol 54:65-81.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  73. Savin RC (1992) A method for visually describing and quantitating hair loss in male pattern baldness [abstract]. J Invest Dermatol 98:604.

    Google Scholar 

  74. Setty LR (1970) Hair patterns of scalp of white and Negro males. Am J Phys Anthropol 33(1):49-55.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  75. Shah PN (1957) Human body hair – a quantitative study. Am J Obstet Gynecol 73:1255-65.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  76. Shapiro J, Wiseman M, Lui H (2000) Practical management of hair loss. Can Fam Physician 46:1469-77.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  77. Souter I, Sanchez LA, Perez M et al (2004) The prevalence of androgen excess among patients with minimal unwanted hair growth. Am J Obstet Gynecol 191(6):1914-20.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  78. Sullivan JR, Kossard S (1998) Acquired scalp alopecia. Part I: A review. Australas J Dermatol 39:207-21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  79. Swift JA, Smith JR (2000) Atomic force microscopy of human hair. Scanning. 22:310–18.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  80. Tekola P, Zhu Q, Baak JP (1993) Confocal laser microscopy and image processing for three-dimensional microscopy: technical principles and an application to breast cancer. Hum Pathol 25(1):12-21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  81. Trachsler S, Trueb RM (2005) Value of direct immunofluorescence for differential diagnosis of cicatricial alopecia. Dermatology 211(2):98-102.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  82. Van Neste DJ (2001) Contrast enhanced phototrichogram (CE-PTG): an improved non-invasive technique for measurement of scalp hair dynamics in androgenetic alopecia – validation study with histology after transverse sectioning of scalp biopsies. Eur J Dermatol 11(4):326-31.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  83. Van Neste DJ (2002) Assessment of hair loss: clinical relevance of hair growth evaluation methods. Clin Exp Dermatol 27(5):358-65.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  84. Van Neste DJ (2006) Photographic and computerized techniques for quantification of hair growth. In: Serup J, Jemec GBE, Grove GL (eds) Handbook of non-invasive methods and the skin, 2nd edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla.

    Google Scholar 

  85. Van Neste DJ, Trüeb RM (2006) Critical study of hair growth analysis with computer-assisted methods. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 20(5):578-83.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  86. Van Neste DJJ, Dumrotier M, De Coster W (1989) Phototrichogram analysis: technical aspects and problems in relation with automated quantitative evaluation of hair growth by computer-assisted image analysis. In: Van Neste DJJ, Lachapelle JM, Antoine JL (eds) Trends in human hair growth and alopecia research. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 155-65.

    Google Scholar 

  87. Van Neste DJ, Dumrotier M, de Brouwer B et al (1992) Scalp immersion proxigraphy: an improved imaging technique for phototrichogram analysis. J Eur Acad Derm Venereol 1:187-91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  88. Van Neste DJJ, de Brouwer B, de Coster W (1994) The phototrichogram: analysis of some technical factors of variation. Skin Pharmacol 7:67–72.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  89. Welzel J, Lankenau E, Birngruber R et al (1997) Optical coherence tomography of the human skin. J Am Acad Dermatol 37(6):958-63.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  90. Whiting DA (1996) Chronic telogen effluvium: increased scalp hair shedding in middle-aged women. J Am Acad Dermatol 35:899-906.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  91. Whiting DA, Waldstreicher J, Sanchez M et al (1999) Measuring reversal of hair miniaturization in androgenetic alopecia by follicular counts in horizontal sections of serial scalp biopsies: results of finasteride 1 mg treatment of men and postmenopausal women. J Invest Dermatol Symp Proc 4:282-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  92. Wickett RR (2006) Measurement of the mechanical strength of hair. In: Serup J, Jemec GBE, Grove GL (eds.) Handbook of non-invasive methods and the skin. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla.

    Google Scholar 

  93. Wickett RR, Kossmann E, Barel A et al (2007) Effect of oral intake of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid on hair tensile strength and morphology in women with fine hair. Arch Dermatol Res 299(10):499-505 [Epub 2007 Oct 25].

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  94. You H, Yu L (1997) Atomic force microscopy as a tool for study of human hair. Scanning 19:431–7.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2008 Springer London

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Blume-Peytavi, U., Hillmann, K., Guarrera, M. (2008). Hair Growth Assessment Techniques. In: Blume-Peytavi, U., Tosti, A., Trüeb, R. (eds) Hair Growth and Disorders. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-46911-7_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-46911-7_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-46908-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-46911-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics