Axillary hairs

Other actions of estrogen include fluid retention, protein anabolism, thinning of the cervical mucus, and the inhibition or facilitation of ovulation. Estrogens contribute to the conservation of calcium and phosphorus, the growth of pubic and axillary hair, and pigmentation of the breast nipples and genitals. Estrogens also stimulate contraction of the fallopian tubes (which promotes movement of the ovum), modify the physical and chemical properties of the cervical mucus, and restore the endometrium after menstruation. 

Nixon A., Mallet A.I., et al. (1988). Simultaneous quantification of five odorous steroids 16-Androstenes, in the axillary hair of men. J Steroid Biochem 29, 505-510. 

It is important to identify and measure the concentrations of a number of compounds in a mixture simultaneously for several reasons. First, among related compounds there may exist precursors of active ones, and pathways of pheromone synthesis may be elucidated. This is true for steroids in the human axilla. Nixon etal. (1988) determined the concentration of five steroids extracted from axillary hair of adult men aged 18 to 40 years. The relationships in concentrations between the two ketones 5Q -androst-16-en-3-one and 4,16-androstadien-3-one suggest that axillary bacteria reduce the former to the latter with the aid of the enzyme 4-ene-5a-reductase. Humans have a low olfactory threshold for several 16-androstenes, and the fact that some men have large quantities of 16-androstenes (Nixon etal., 1988) is biologically suggestive. 

The adrenal glands play an important role in pubertal development. Termed adrenarche, the maturation of a prominent zona reticularis, the innermost layer of the cortex, begins around age six to eight in girls, resulting in increased secretion of the adrenal androgens, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA sulfate (Beckman Feuston, 2003). The rise in these hormones leads to the development of pubic and axillary hair. Recent evidence suggests... 

The variability of opioid hair test results based upon anatomic origin has been studied by Kintz and Mangin. - Head, pubic, and axillary hair samples were... 

Pubic hair was shown to concentrate opiates more than head hair. - Balabanova et al. published some results for cannabis in pubic and axillary hair using radioimmunoassay (RIA). The higher concentrations were found generally in pubic hair, and... 

Summary of Cannabinoid Concentrations in Head, Pubic, and Axillary Hair... 

Axillary and pubic hairs are quite similar in terms of growth rate (approximately 0.3 mm/d) and growth/rest cycle durations (11-18 months/12-17 months). They are both exposed to sweat and sebum secretions in addition to the secretions of the apocrine glands which are present only in the axilla and pubic area and discharge directly into the hair follicle rather than onto the surface of the surrounding skin. Axillary hair is less exposed to environmental contamination, but may be subjected to cosmetic treatments. Pubic hair may be contaminated by urine. Both types of hair are composed of ambosexual follicles. 

All the studies demonstrated clearly that opiates could be detected in extracts from both head and axillary or pubic samples of drug abusers (Table 1). Concentrations measured in the different kinds of hair are similar in magnitude whatever the opiate analyzed. With one exception (Balabanova and Wolf ), the highest concentrations were found in pubic hair, followed by scalp hair and axillary hair. This has been confirmed in oxu" laboratory by a compilation of results obtained recently in 16 fatal heroin overdoses (Table 2). Besides, we found a very significant correlation between head hair and axillary or pubic hair concentrations for any of the opiates tested. On the other hand, even in patients receiving daily methadone treatment (Balabanova and Wolf ), no correlation has been reported between blood and head or nonhead opiate concentrations. This is not surprising since blood concentration represents a measure at the present moment and hair concentration represents a chronic accumulation. 

Other drugs, including nicotine, have been investigated in nonhead hair samples. However, the data (Table 5) are of less significance since all the analyses but one lack specificity due to the analytical methods used. The highest concentrations were observed sometimes in axillary hair (phenobarbital, zipeprol, nicotine), sometimes in pubic hair for benzodiazepines. No correlation between concentrations in hair samples and blood or urine have been reported. Nevertheless, these data have the merit to demonstrate that nonhead hair specimens could represent an alternative to head hair when the latter is not available for the detection of drugs. 

B. Effects Testosterone is necessary for normal development of the male fetus and infant and is responsible for the major changes in the male at puberty (growth of penis, larynx, and skeleton development of facial, pubic, and axillary hair darkening of skin enlargement of muscle mass). After puberty, testosterone acts to maintain secondary sex characteristics, fertility and libido. It also acts upon hair cells to cause male-pattern baldness. 

A decrease in axillary hair is perhaps the manifestation most clearly dependent on adrenal function in females and, to a lesser degree, in males (Albright, 1947). Such a decrease was observed in 77% of male patients, in 96% of menopausal women, and in 89% of women in menstrual age. These incidence figures agree roughly with the frequency of lowered 17-ketosteroid excretion observed. 

Thallium interferes with the incorporation of cysteine into the keratin molecule, and its toxic effect can be blocked by the administration of cysteine. In humans, hair loss begins lo days after ingestion of thallium and is complete after i month. Scalp hair, eyelash, and lateral aspect of eye brows are primarily affected, with sparing of the trunk and axillary hair. 

Intermediate cells of axillary hairs (at stipe, rachis, or branches) present state 1 occasionally present state 2 absent ... 

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