Advances in technology and modern medicine has given many ways to fight balding, but still our understanding of what causes hair loss is very patchy. Apart from many factors that contribute to male pattern baldness, your chances of keeping hair intact on your head depends on how sensitive you are to Dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
No matter how much testosterone you have, it won’t work in your favour unless it converts to DHT. When testosterone is transformed into DHT, it exerts stronger effects than testosterone itself (estimated to be five times more potent).
Dihydrotestosterone or DHT restricts the follicle’s ability to produce hair growth, rather than causing the hair to fall out. Many studies indicate that bald men have high levels of DHT, and when the level of DHT is lowered in the body, hair loss slows down or even reverses.
DHT makes the follicles miniaturize while the scalp is going through its normal cycle of growing and shedding. As the growing cycle doesn’t last as long, hair gets thinner and shorter. At times, the new hair don’t even poke through the skin, and even if they do, the thinning of the hairs makes them easier to shed. DHT also prevents essential nutrients such as proteins, vitamins, minerals, etc., from providing the needed nourishment to these follicles.
Hair reproduces at a slower rate when the dihydrotestosterone levels are high, which means that they either have short growing phase or long resting stage. All these factors result in male pattern baldness.
Proper nutrition can help in maintaining hair health, but it alone cannot counter the effects of DHT. Few hair loss treatments, without interfering with testosterone levels, intervene by either counteracting the symptoms to increase blood flow to the hair follicle, or by directly inhibiting the production of dihydrotestosterone.
Though medication can help maintain or enhance regrowth of hair on the scalp, they all come with their share of side effects. It is therefore very important to consult hair loss specialists before taking any over-the-counter medicines or other treatment options, as many factors like family and medical history, lifestyle and personal preference, etc., need to be taken into account.
Dr. Gaurang Krishna
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