BACKGROUND: Potential contagion and zoonotic risk make rapid diagnosis of dermatophytosis important amongst companion animals.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the adhesive tape impression (ATI), trichogram, Wood\'s lamp (WL) examination and fungal culture for diagnosis of dermatophytosis, and the ATI and trichogram for ease of use.
METHODS: Five dogs and 15 cats with consistent lesions, history and at least two positive dermatophyte test results.
METHODS: After WL examination, one representative lesion per patient was sampled for ATI, trichogram and fungal culture. Microscopic detection of fungal elements on ATI and trichogram were objectively and subjectively compared. The ability of all tests to correctly detect dermatophytosis, and the ability of ATI and trichogram to detect fungal elements in >20 high-powered fields (HPF) were compared using Fisher\'s exact tests.
RESULTS: ATI, trichogram, fungal culture and WL were positive in 100% (20 of 20), 90% (18 of 20), 95% (19 of 20) and 65% (13 of 20) of patients, respectively, with a significant difference between WL and ATI (p = 0.0499). Fungal culture revealed Microsporum. canis (n = 16), Nannizzia gypsea (n = 1), Trichophyton mentagrophytes (n = 1) and T. rubrum (n = 1). Fungal elements were detected in >20 HPF more frequently with ATI (18 of 20) than trichogram (11 of 20) (p = 0.017), and detection required careful scanning to distinguish from background debris more often with trichogram. Fungal elements were located with neutrophil clusters and keratinocyte rafts in addition to abnormal hair fragments more frequently on ATI.
CONCLUSIONS: ATI had the highest ability to correctly diagnose dermatophytosis, and increased ease of detecting fungal elements compared to trichogram.

Oligodontia can be isolated or syndromic, associated with other ectodermal abnormalities. The aim of the study was to perform hair examination in orthodontic patients diagnosed with oligodontia with a low clinical expression of symptoms of ectodermal origin. All available orthodontic patients diagnosed with oligodontia in the permanent dentition were enrolled. Hair examination included clinical evaluation of the patients\' hair, trichoscopy, trichogram and evaluation of the hair shafts under a polarized light microscope. In total, 25 patients, 18 males and 7 females, aged 6 to 24 years were evaluated for the presence of dental and hair abnormalities. The number of congenitally absent teeth ranged from 6 to 24 teeth and diastemas, microdontia, taurodontism and altered tooth shape were found in 23 patients. Hair disorders were found in 68% of the subjects. Hypotrichosis, the heterogeneity of shaft color and loss of pigment, androgenetic alopecia, telogen effluvium, trichoschisis, pili canaliculi, trichorrhexis nodosa and pseudomoniletrix were observed. Trichoscopy and trichogram are valid non-invasive diagnostic tests which could be used to differentiate between isolated and syndromic oligodontia in patients with a low clinical expression of ectodermal symptoms.

Androgenic alopecia (AGA) is the most prevalent type of progressive hair loss and has psychological repercussions. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of current pharmacological treatments remains limited, in part because the molecular basis of the disease has not been fully elucidated. Our group previously highlighted the important roles of aromatase and 5α-reductase (5α-R) in alopecia in young women with female pattern hair loss. Additionally, an association has been proposed between AGA and prostate cancer (PCa), suggesting that genes implicated in PCa would also be involved in AGA. A low-invasive, sensitive, and precise method was used to determine mRNA levels of aromatase, 5α-R isozymes, and 84 PCa-related genes in samples of plucked hair from young men with AGA and controls. Samples were obtained with a trichogram from the vertex scalp, and mRNA levels were quantified using real-time RT-PCR. The men with AGA had significantly higher 5α-R2 mRNA levels in comparison to controls; interestingly, some of them also showed markedly elevated mRNA levels of 5α-R1 or 5α-R3 or of both, which may explain the varied response to 5α-R inhibitor treatments. The men with AGA also showed significant changes versus controls in 6 out of the 84 genes implicated in PCa. This study contributes greater knowledge of the molecular bases of AGA, facilitating early selection of the most appropriate pharmacological therapy and opening the way to novel treatments.

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BACKGROUND: The short anagen syndrome (SAS) is a rare idiopathic pediatric disorder characterized by the short duration of the anagen phase. SAS mainly affects Caucasian children. Parents complain of their child\'s inability to grow long hair. Topical minoxidil may be an effective treatment for SAS; however, a slow spontaneous improvement is typical.
OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to collect data on out cases of SAS and create an algorithm to facilitate diagnosis of SAS.
METHODS: A retrospective review of 25 patients with SAS was performed within the Dermatology Department of the University of Bologna. We collected data regarding symptoms, pull test, hair card test, trichoscopy, trichogram, treatments, including biotin and minoxidil, and clinical outcome.
RESULTS: Characteristic findings included parental reporting that the hair had not required a haircut, hair card test showing hairs with conical-shaped tips, and hair shafts of different diameters, with more 10%-20% of hair shafts less than 60 μm thick on trichoscopy. Trichogram revealed an increased percentage of telogen hair with normal hair shafts and tapering ends. The mean anagen-to-telogen ratio was 66:34 (normal ratio 90:10).
CONCLUSIONS: We developed an algorithm to facilitate the diagnosis of this rare hair disease using clinical examination and invasive and non-invasive testing to differentiate SAS from other forms of pediatric alopecia. In conclusion, the collected data of the therapy showed that biotin alone or in combination with topical minoxidil is an effective treatment for SAS.

Trichorhinophalangeal syndrome (TRPS) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by trichologic, craniofacial, and musculoskeletal abnormalities. Predominant clinical features include a pear-shaped nose with bulbous tip, long philtrum, protruding ears, and sparse hair on both the scalp and the lateral third of the eyebrows. Cone-shaped epiphyses are a common radiographic finding. Loose anagen syndrome (LAS) is a sporadic or autosomal dominant condition due to abnormalities in the hair\'s anchoring mechanism. It mostly affects children, who usually have reduced hair length, as well as hair that is easily plucked without pain. Recent contributions regarding trichoscopic findings of LAS have been made, describing rectangular black granular structures as a typical feature. An association between TRPS and LAS has been mentioned by hair experts, but no reports documenting this have been published. This case demonstrates the co-existence of both conditions in a patient with characteristic phenotypic traits of TRPS and LAS.

Αndrogenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common hair disorder, affecting approximately 50% of men and women. A topical lotion that contains two patented formulas (Redensyl and Sepicontrol A5), has been introduced as an alternative approach to standard therapies for AGA. Forty-four patients with AGA were randomized either to apply the active lotion or the vehicle, twice daily for 24 weeks. Subjects were evaluated at 0, 12, and 24 weeks by clinical examination, photographic documentation, quality of life evaluation (DLQI), and trichogram (anagen-to-telogen ratio). Forty-one patients, 18 males and 23 females, completed the study. Among patients receiving active treatment (n = 26), 7.7% had great improvement, 73.1% had moderate improvement, and 19.2% remained stable. The median self-assessment score increased from 4 at baseline to 6 at 24 weeks (P < .001), while the DLQI improved from 4 to 3, respectively (P < .001). The median anagen-to-telogen ratio increased from 2.25 to 4.00 to 6.02 at weeks 0, 12, and 24, respectively. No significant adverse events were reported. This new topical active blend is effective in the treatment of AGA, with high degree of patients\' satisfaction, improvement of quality of life, and an excellent safety profile. Thus, it may represent a useful alternative therapeutic approach for AGA.

Female pattern hair loss (FPHL) is an important hair disorder, especially when young women are affected. However, pharmacological treatments are not successful in all women. Androgens, especially dihydrotestosterone (DHT), may play a role in FPHL, but many women with this disorder have normal serum androgen levels. It therefore appears that hair follicle levels of DHT depend on in situ testosterone (T) metabolism. Because T can be converted to DHT or estradiol (E2) by 5α-reductase (5α-R) and aromatase, respectively, these enzymes would determine DHT and E2 concentrations and their ratio. We propose and apply a low-invasive, sensitive and precise method for the absolute quantification of mRNA levels of aromatase and 5α-R isozymes (type 1, type 2 and type 3) in plucked hair from young women with FPHL. Normoandrogenic women with FPHL and controls were studied. Plucked hair samples were obtained by trichogram from vertex scalp and mRNA levels quantified by real-time RT-PCR. We revealed for the first time the presence of 5α-R3 mRNA in human hair. Interestingly, one, two, or even three 5α-R isozymes were increased in some women with FPHL but not in others, which may explain the lack of response to 5α-R inhibitors in some FPHL cases. Aromatase mRNA levels were significantly lower in women with FPHL than in controls. It may therefore produce a reduction in oestrogen levels and an increase in the androgen/oestrogen ratio in hair. The proposed low-invasive technique offers a molecular aetiologic diagnosis of FPHL for the selection of more appropriate pharmacological treatments with early predicted effectiveness.

Exposing wet hair to high temperatures can create gas bubbles within the hair shaft, leading to brittle, dry hairs in a disorder known as bubble hair abnormality. We present a case of a 61-year-old woman who presented for hair breakage over her crown. She regularly dried her damp hair with a blow dryer. Dermoscopy revealed multiple bubbles within the hair shaft, and diagnosis of bubble hair abnormality was confirmed by light microscopy. Our unusual case highlights the ease of acquisition of this abnormality by means of a common hair dryer, and the utility of dermoscopy to make a fast and accurate diagnosis within the office.

BACKGROUND: Adipose-derived stem cells secrete various cytokines that promote hair growth.
OBJECTIVE: To describe our experience of hair regeneration therapy using adipose-derived stem cellconditioned medium.
RESULTS: We performed the hair regeneration therapy in numerous Japanese patients and reported good results. We described characteristics of the commercialized conditioned medium, treatment methods, and future directions.
CONCLUSIONS: Treatment using adipose-derived stem cell-conditioned medium is highly effective and may represent a new therapy for alopecia.