To investigate the clinical effect of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) on the patients with androgenetic alopecia (AGA).

A total of 71 patients with AGA admitted into the Xiangya Hospital from January 2014 to December 2016 were enrolled for the study, and were divided into the HBO group (n=38) and control group (n=33), according to different treatment methods. The patients in the control group were treated with conventional drugs, while the patients in the HBO group received HBO therapy in addition to the treatment received by the control group. Following 6 courses of treatment, therapeutic effects were compared between the patients of the 2 groups. Therapeutic effects were evaluated by using hair loss and new hair growth scores, Dermatology Life Questionnaire Index (DLQI) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), and the levels of free testosterone (FT) and 5α-dihydrotestosterone (5α-DHT) were detected before and after treatment.

Following 6 courses of treatment, the therapeutic efficacy of the HBO group (90.91%) was significantly higher than that of the control group (70.53%)(P<0.05), As compared with the scores before treatment, the hair loss scores of the 2 groups all decreased obviously, and the scores of the HBO group were considerably lower than those of the control group, with statistical significance (P<0.05 or P<0.01). As compared with the scores before treatment, the new hair growth scores of the 2 groups all decreased obviously, and the scores of the HBO group were obviously lower than those of the control group, also with statistical significance (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The DLQI scores of the 2 groups all significantly elevated, and those of the HBO group were markedly higher than those of the control group, with statistical significance (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The HAMD scores of the 2 groups all decreased significantly, and those of the HBO group were obviously lower than those of the control group, also with statistical significance (P<0.01). After 6 courses of treatment, the levels of FT and DHT in the patients of the 2 groups all considerably dropped, as compared with those before treatment (P<0.01). However, after HBO treatment, no significant differences could be noted in the levels of FT and DHT in the HBO group, as compared with the control group (P>0.05).

Comprehensive HBO therapy could further improve clinical efficacy on the patients with AGA, reduce hair loss, increase new hair growth, improve the emotion of the patients with depression, and could ultimately increase their daily life quality.

Androgenic alopecia; Hyperbaric oxygen; Free testosterone; 5-dihydrotestosterone