Hair Loss News

In this case in Tunisia, a 75 year-old menopausal woman was found to be suffering from male pattern baldness, otherwise known as androgenetic alopecia.

What made her case unusual is that she never suffered from virilization as well, which is the abnormal development of male sexual characteristics in a female.   The reason the two are associated is that excess testosterone causes both problems to occur.

In addition to this she had no sign of hirsutism either, which is excessive body hair.  This too is a sign of unnaturally high testosterone levels in women.

Her testosterone levels were checked and were found to be 3 times the normal limit.   The doctors then took X-rays and discovered that she had an ovarian tumor.

The tumor was removed and a hysterectomy was performed.   Two months later her hormones returned to normal levels.

The physicians recommend that in similar cases of menopausal women with recent and/or severe androgenetic alopecia, their testosterone levels should be checked in addition to ultrasensitive TSH and ferritin tests, in case they have tumors.

Androgenetic alopecia reveals an ovarian secreting tumor

Ann Dermatol Venereol. 2007 Feb;134
Masmoudi A, Meziou TJ, Reygagne P.
Service de Dermatologie, EPS Hedi Chaker de Sfax, Tunisie.

BACKGROUND: In menopausal women, rapid development of androgenetic alopecia may be associated with development of androgen-secreting tumors even in the absence of signs of virilisation. We report a case in which ovarian tumor was revealed by this condition.

OBSERVATION: A 75 year-old woman menopausal from the age of 44 years had experienced hair loss over the previous three years with exacerbation over the last year. Clinical examination revealed male pattern androgenogenetic alopecia but with no signs of virilisation. Testosterone levels were 3 times the normal limit. Radiological examination confirmed the presence of an ovarian tumour and hysterectomy was performed with bilateral actomy. Histopathological examination revealed a mature cystic dysembryoma of the right ovary containing Leydig cell islets. The outcome was favourable with normalisation of hormone levels 2 months after surgery and gradual hair growth.

DISCUSSION: This case involved a woman with androgenogenetic alopecia with no signs of virilisation or of hirsutism. The clinical picture was banal, and given the patient’s age, there was no justification for routine endocrine investigation. Because of recent focus on androgenogenetic alopecia, testosterone levels were checked, resulting in the discovery of an ovarian tumour containing Leydig cells. In menopausal women with recent and/or severe androgenogenetic alopecia, testosterone levels should be determined in addition to ultrasensitive TSH and ferritin.

PMID: 17375015