- Reaction score
- 42
The following is something I posted on alt.baldspot in late 1999.
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Guys, I found another very interesting study today that has profound implications for all of us, even though it's nearly 40 years old. This study supports what Dr. P has been telling us about the limitations of antiandrogens. The title is: "Effect of Castration in Adolescent and Young Adult Males Upon Further Changes in the Proportions of Bare and Hairy Scalp". James B. Hamilton. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Volume 20, October, 1960. I'll give you the full abstract, and then some selections from the body of the article:
"A study of 21 adolescent and young adult males, before castration and for eight to eighteen years afterwards, showed that after orchiectomy there was no development of male pattern baldness (male pattern baldness) nor of any grossly recognizable denudation of the scalp. There was no expansion of bald areas in existence at the time of castration. At the end of the study the eunuchs, compared with intact males of similar age, exhibited a significantly lower incidence of male pattern baldness (P=.01) and had no further loss of coarse hairs in the pattern that in most males results in recession of the frontal hairline (P<.01). After castration, no increase in the number of coarse hairs was detected in bald or sparsely-haired areas of the frontal hairline. It is concluded that the remedial value of drastic reduction in androgenic stimulation is probably nil with regard to return of coarse hairs which have been lost along the frontal hairline in young men. In 3 men with baldness of the crown of the head at the time of orchiectomy, a limited increase in the number of coarse hairs occurred after the operation in 1 but not in the others. Further study is required to ascertain the potential for partial regrowth of coarse hairs in subjects with late-appearing forms of male pattern baldness involving the dorsum of the head."
And some selected passages from the body of the article:
"It was first necessary to establish that androgenic stimulation had been markedly and permanently reduced after orchiectomy. Studies of 15 of the eunuchs, including data obtained eight to eighteen years after castration, showed that androgenic stimulation had not only been markedly decreased but had remained so.
"The area of denudation did not increase after castration in any subject, regardless of the presence or absence of bald areas at the time of orchiectomy.
"Even the usual frontal and frontoparietal recessions of the hair line failed to appear in the 3 males who had been castrated at 15 or 16 years of age when they still had Type 1 scalp hair. Failure of hair-line recession to develop in these 3 males during the succeeding 16 to 17 years is noteworthy, since 94% of intact males would have acquired bare areas on at least the anterior scalp.
"The 14 males with small frontoparietal recessions at the time of orchiectomy did not acquire bare areas on the crown of the head or further extensions of frontal...recessions of the hairline.
"In the 3 subjects who had acquired male pattern baldness before orchiectomy no new nor expanded bare areas developed after castration.
"Regions of the scalp which are in the process of becoming bald, or are adjacent to bald areas, tend in intact males to be most susceptible to spread of baldness. The present observations clearly indicate that after castration such regions are no more prone to...male pattern baldness than are other portions of the scalp."
But the kicker is the failure of castration to regrow much, if any, hair:
"The failure to regenerate coarse hairs was as definite in subjects with slight recession as in those with more pronounced recession...
"The lack of regrowth of coarse hairs in areas of frontal and frontoparietal recession of the hairline could not be attributed to a prolonged interval between sexual maturation and castration, since the lack of regrowth was as absolute in subjects castrated at the age of 16 to 20 years as in those not operated upon until the age of 30 to 38 years."
And remember that of the three with balding in the crown, only one showed a little regrowth after many, many years.
"The present data are relevant to a previous report of 2 eunuchs who were bald when first seen by the author several years after their testes had been removed. In the years since the published photographs were taken, there has been no grossly recognizable addition to the number of coarse hairs. The period of time since castration is now 29 and 37 years, respectively.
"These studies of eunuchs indicate that, even in the absence of testicular secretions and of any detectable increase in androgens from extratesticular sources, regrowth of coarse hairs on the frontal hairline is nil if the hairs have been lost when the subject was young. Therefore in males who lose coarse hairs along the frontal hairline when young, anti-androgenic treatment probably has little remedial value.
"In contrast to the poor prognosis when male pattern baldness has been established in young men, prophylactic therapy might be rewarding. It now seems certain that castration entirely prevents development or extension of male pattern baldness."
Bryan
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Guys, I found another very interesting study today that has profound implications for all of us, even though it's nearly 40 years old. This study supports what Dr. P has been telling us about the limitations of antiandrogens. The title is: "Effect of Castration in Adolescent and Young Adult Males Upon Further Changes in the Proportions of Bare and Hairy Scalp". James B. Hamilton. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Volume 20, October, 1960. I'll give you the full abstract, and then some selections from the body of the article:
"A study of 21 adolescent and young adult males, before castration and for eight to eighteen years afterwards, showed that after orchiectomy there was no development of male pattern baldness (male pattern baldness) nor of any grossly recognizable denudation of the scalp. There was no expansion of bald areas in existence at the time of castration. At the end of the study the eunuchs, compared with intact males of similar age, exhibited a significantly lower incidence of male pattern baldness (P=.01) and had no further loss of coarse hairs in the pattern that in most males results in recession of the frontal hairline (P<.01). After castration, no increase in the number of coarse hairs was detected in bald or sparsely-haired areas of the frontal hairline. It is concluded that the remedial value of drastic reduction in androgenic stimulation is probably nil with regard to return of coarse hairs which have been lost along the frontal hairline in young men. In 3 men with baldness of the crown of the head at the time of orchiectomy, a limited increase in the number of coarse hairs occurred after the operation in 1 but not in the others. Further study is required to ascertain the potential for partial regrowth of coarse hairs in subjects with late-appearing forms of male pattern baldness involving the dorsum of the head."
And some selected passages from the body of the article:
"It was first necessary to establish that androgenic stimulation had been markedly and permanently reduced after orchiectomy. Studies of 15 of the eunuchs, including data obtained eight to eighteen years after castration, showed that androgenic stimulation had not only been markedly decreased but had remained so.
"The area of denudation did not increase after castration in any subject, regardless of the presence or absence of bald areas at the time of orchiectomy.
"Even the usual frontal and frontoparietal recessions of the hair line failed to appear in the 3 males who had been castrated at 15 or 16 years of age when they still had Type 1 scalp hair. Failure of hair-line recession to develop in these 3 males during the succeeding 16 to 17 years is noteworthy, since 94% of intact males would have acquired bare areas on at least the anterior scalp.
"The 14 males with small frontoparietal recessions at the time of orchiectomy did not acquire bare areas on the crown of the head or further extensions of frontal...recessions of the hairline.
"In the 3 subjects who had acquired male pattern baldness before orchiectomy no new nor expanded bare areas developed after castration.
"Regions of the scalp which are in the process of becoming bald, or are adjacent to bald areas, tend in intact males to be most susceptible to spread of baldness. The present observations clearly indicate that after castration such regions are no more prone to...male pattern baldness than are other portions of the scalp."
But the kicker is the failure of castration to regrow much, if any, hair:
"The failure to regenerate coarse hairs was as definite in subjects with slight recession as in those with more pronounced recession...
"The lack of regrowth of coarse hairs in areas of frontal and frontoparietal recession of the hairline could not be attributed to a prolonged interval between sexual maturation and castration, since the lack of regrowth was as absolute in subjects castrated at the age of 16 to 20 years as in those not operated upon until the age of 30 to 38 years."
And remember that of the three with balding in the crown, only one showed a little regrowth after many, many years.
"The present data are relevant to a previous report of 2 eunuchs who were bald when first seen by the author several years after their testes had been removed. In the years since the published photographs were taken, there has been no grossly recognizable addition to the number of coarse hairs. The period of time since castration is now 29 and 37 years, respectively.
"These studies of eunuchs indicate that, even in the absence of testicular secretions and of any detectable increase in androgens from extratesticular sources, regrowth of coarse hairs on the frontal hairline is nil if the hairs have been lost when the subject was young. Therefore in males who lose coarse hairs along the frontal hairline when young, anti-androgenic treatment probably has little remedial value.
"In contrast to the poor prognosis when male pattern baldness has been established in young men, prophylactic therapy might be rewarding. It now seems certain that castration entirely prevents development or extension of male pattern baldness."
Bryan
I've seen hints and suggestions here and there that different androgens may stimulate somewhat different gene expressions.