Table 4.

Entire values of hair parameters in the combined oral finasteride and topical minoxidil 5% (same group as in Table 2; n = 7; MPHL) recorded at baseline (no‐treatment baseline; m0) and after 3 mo of combined drug treatment (MPHL on‐topical; change m3 vs m0) followed by healthy male controls (Normal males; n = 33) and finally by MPHL values expressed relative to the values recorded in healthy males (MPHL as % of Normals; Nl = 100%) at m0, baseline and at m3 on combined drugs (Fin + MTS)

Units	Parameter	MPHL (n = 7) Group topical	MPHL		MPHL on‐topical			Controls		MPHL as % of normals
			No‐treatment		Change m3 vs m0			Normal males (n = 33)		At m0	At m3
			Baseline (m0)			P				Baseline	Fin + MTS
			Mean	SD			ABS	Mean	SD
n/cm2	Nano‐hair <20 µm	MTS‐5%	35	26	−8		26	4	4	944	716
n/cm2	Anagen ≥20 µm	MTS‐5%	129	65	81	***	210	227	47	57	93
	Telogen ≥20 µm	MTS‐5%	105	36	−33	*	71	37	23	281	192
n/cm2	Anagen ≥30 µm	MTS‐5%	109	62	69	**	177	221	47	49	80
	Telogen ≥30 µm	MTS‐5%	67	40	−14		53	32	23	207	163
n/cm2	Anagen ≥40 µm	MTS‐5%	82	57	58	**	140	206	40	40	68
	Telogen ≥40 µm	MTS‐5%	35	20	−5	*	30	25	21	137	118
n/cm2	Anagen ≥50 µm	MTS‐5%	68	51	44	**	112	189	33	36	59
	Telogen ≥50 µm	MTS‐5%	21	11	−5	*	16	22	20	95	73
n/cm2	Exogen	MTS‐5%	10	5	0		10	1	1	792	769
LHGR	Hair diameter (D; µm)
µm/24 h	30 µm ≤ D <60 µm	MTS‐5%	256	53	19		275	319	32	80	86
µm/24 h	D ≥ 60 µm	MTS‐5%	369	39	−65		305	380	34	97	80

At baseline, the anagen hair densities (bold) ranged from 57% to 36% of controls, while telogen densities ranged from 281% to 95% depending on the diameter categories (from ≥20 µm till ≥50 µm). Nano‐hair and exogen hair counts exceeded 7‐fold control values (respectively, 944% and 792%). When values recorded after 3 mo of combined drug treatment are displayed (last column) in regard to baseline performance of MPHL subjects, the therapeutic result (improvement) may seem encouraging (almost doubling of anagen for diameters including 20‐ and 30‐µm hair). However, taking into account only the terminal hair (diameter ≥50 µm), the persistent slow growth rates and the rather moderate changes of anagen/telogen, point to short duration of anagen which is disappointing from the clinical perspective. The trend for slowing down of LHGR in intermediate‐terminal hair (dropping from 97% of controls at baseline to 80% at m3) points towards reactivation of functionally deficient hair follicles. Therefore, new approaches are being developed aiming at an objective parameter that might have more consistent clinical relevance (see Figure 7 based on the methodology detailed in Figures 5 and 6).