Beauty Is Skin Deep: The Fascinating Biology of the Epidermis and Its Appendages

December 2000 in “ PubMed ”

Elaine Fuchs

hair follicle notch pathway sonic hedgehog pathway fibroblast growth factor bone morphogenic protein mesenchymal-epithelial interactions wnt pathway skin stem cells bulge hypothesis Lef1/beta-catenin Whn hairless transcription factors epidermal barrier lipid synthesis

TLDR The biology of skin and hair is complex and not fully understood.

The document reviewed the biology of the epidermis and its appendages, focusing on the mechanisms of hair follicle patterning and development. It highlighted the involvement of the notch and sonic hedgehog pathways, as well as fibroblast growth factor and bone morphogenic protein families, in hair follicle morphogenesis and differentiation. The precise roles and interactions of these pathways, particularly with the wnt pathway, were not fully understood at the time. The document also discussed the location and pluripotency of skin stem cells, with the bulge hypothesis being a significant focus. Additionally, it addressed transcriptional regulation in the epidermis, identifying key transcription factors like Lef1/beta-catenin, Whn, and the zinc finger transcription factor linked to hairless phenotypes. Despite advances in molecular genetics, the understanding of the epidermal barrier's molecular basis remained limited, necessitating further research into lipid synthesis and packaging pathways.

View this study on pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Related Community Posts Join

6 / 1000+ results

community 4600 FUT Hair Transplant 16 month post second surgery progress

in Transplants 3725 upvotes 1 year ago

The user had two FUT hair transplants with 4,600 grafts for increased density, costing about $11,000 each, and has been using oral minoxidil and finasteride for over five years without side effects. The results are natural-looking with no visible scarring, and the user finds the procedure valuable despite the cost.

community Yes your lifestyle and diet has its role in hair loss.

in Chat 296 upvotes 4 months ago

Diet and lifestyle changes can reduce hair shedding but won't regrow hair lost to genetic male pattern baldness. Treatments like finasteride and dutasteride are necessary for significant hair regrowth.

community New drug for hair loss announced by Amplifica

in Research/Science 161 upvotes 2 years ago

Amplifica starting clinical trials for new hair loss drug. SCUBE3 protein discovered, stimulates hair growth, could be alternative to Minoxidil and Finasteride.

community Had my 6 month checkup today and saw better results than I thought. More full up top and my facial hair has also gotten fuller as well

in Progress Pictures 285 upvotes 3 years ago

A user who has seen results of hair regrowth after 6 months of using finasteride 1.25mg daily, and topical foam minoxidil twice a day for 3 months before switching to once a day; other users have advised against increasing the dose of finasteride due to lack of additional scalp DHT reduction and increased risk of side effects.

community 11 months after Hair transplant 3000 grafts front- minoxidil twice daily foam. Fin 1mg daily. Nizoral shampoo.

in Progress Pictures 739 upvotes 2 years ago

/82 sokak no:3, Bornova, İzmir Province This conversation is about a user's progress after hair transplant surgery and the treatments they used to maintain it. They had a transplant of 3000 grafts in April 2022, taking finasteride 1mg daily and minoxidil twice daily foam, as well as using Nizoral shampoo and Hair Growth Shampoo from Watermans once a week. The results have been positive with good hair health improvement.

community NW4 -> NW 2.5 (2.5 months progress) RU 8.5-9% ED and topical Dut .1% + RU 5% once a week.

in Progress Pictures 108 upvotes 2 years ago

User shows hair loss progress from NW4 to NW2.5 in 2.5 months using RU 8.5-9% daily and topical Dut .1% + RU 5% weekly. Discussion includes managing tension in African American hair and representation of different hair types.

Related Research

2 / 2 results

research Dermal Blimp1 Acts Downstream of Epidermal TGFβ and Wnt/β-Catenin to Regulate Hair Follicle Formation and Growth

85 citations , June 2017 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

Blimp1 is crucial for hair follicle growth and skin health.

research Beauty Is Skin Deep: The Fascinating Biology of the Epidermis and Its Appendages

65 citations , December 2000 in “PubMed”

The biology of skin and hair is complex and not fully understood.