Role of dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate for the maintenance of axillary hair in women.

To delineate the relationship between sex hormones and the axillary hair in women, serum concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and testosterone were measured in 177 normal women (aged 16 to 76 y). Both menstrual cycle and axillary hair were present in all normal women younger than 50 years. In the 6th decade, axillary hair was present in 21 of 42 normal women but menstruation was present only in 8 of the 42 women. In the 7th and 8th decades, axillary hair was present in 36% and 25% of them, respectively. None of the subjects over 60 years of age had a menstrual cycle. Serum dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate concentrations were significantly higher in axillary hair-positive than in -negative women after 50 years of age. Serum testosterone concentration was low in normal women after 50 years of age compared to those of under 49 years, and it was marginally lower in axillary hair-negative than in -positive normal women. However the difference between the axillary hair-positive and -negative subjects was not statistically significant. It is suggested that weak adrenal androgens such as dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate, rather than testosterone, play an important role for the maintenance of axillary hair in aged women.