Male Pattern Baldness Male pattern
baldness (MPB) is principally caused by two main factors - possibly assisted
by some other more minor ones. The two factors are:
- Presence of a substance called Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the vicinity
of the hair roots. This substance is produced from the male hormone
testosterone by the action of a particular enzyme called 5-alpha reductase.
- Inherited genetic information.
When a man inherits the necessary gene for some of his hair roots to
become susceptible to attack by DHT he will lose hair. MPB therefore has
nothing to do with the amount of male hormone a man has - merely the fact
that he has any at all is enough to cause the hair loss provided he has
also inherited the necessary genetic detail.
Only those hair roots which have been programmed will be attacked by DHT.
Normally these will be somewhere through the top region of the scalp with
at least those hair roots around the sides and back of the scalp not being
susceptible to attack by DHT. Hence, many men are left with a ‘monks fringe’
of hair at the sides and back. The chart below outlines the normal progression
of male pattern baldness:
Female Hair Loss
Perhaps surprisingly there is a strong connection between male pattern
baldness (MPB) and the typical hair loss patterns seen in females.
As well as having the necessary enzyme (5-alpha reductase) capable of
forming DHT from the male hormone testosterone (everyone has both male
and female hormones) a woman also has an enzyme called aromatise which
converts some male hormone into a female type. This has the effect that
much of the hair loss which would have occurred is reversed or prevented
by the counterbalancing effect of this ‘extra’ female type hormone in
the area of the hair roots. As a result it would be extremely unusual
for a female to lose as much hair as, say, her brother, even though she
may have inherited similar genetic information.
It is important to note that the action of the aromatise enzyme converting
male hormone into female is usually confined to specific areas of the
scalp. For this reason women will often develop a particular pattern of
loss. Commonly this will result in the front hair line being retained
whilst thinning occurs through the top region of the scalp.
Another point is that at the menopause a woman’s oestrogen (female hormone)
level drops. This increases the chances of the residual male hormone testosterone
being converted to DHT and thinning may therefore increase at this time.
Typical progression of hair loss in females:
Common Questions
Q) Could I be losing my hair because my pores are blocked?
A) No.. At least not in the strictest sense. Typical male and female pattern
loss (known as Androgenetic Alopecia) is caused by a combination of inherited
factors and the male hormone derivative DHT (Dihydrotestosterone). This
DHT is present in the surface sebum secreted through the pores of the
scalp so washing or ‘cleaning it away’ will have some effect on hair loss
rate. But, the sebum is not the cause of the loss.
Q) What other causes of hair loss are there and how do I know if I
have one?
A) There are quite a few other causes besides typical male or female pattern
baldness, but they are normally obvious as not looking natural. They can
be Alopecia Areata, extremely poor diet, extreme psoriasis (a sort of
inflamed and sticky dandruff type condition), thyroid problems, pregnancy
(more commonly after), menopause, some birth control tablets, certain
drugs and medications, certain contaminants such as mercury, chemotherapy.
This is not an exhaustive list but does highlight the main causes.
Q) Why are women particularly advised to first see their own doctor
about hair loss?
A) With men, male pattern baldness is fairly obvious and if they do lose
hair for another reason, it is also usually equally obvious. With women
however, other causes as listed above can give similar appearances to
female pattern hair loss. These other causes should be eliminated first.
So, what can be done?
Several scientific advances have been made in recent years, with a number
of innovative products delivering promising results. Visit our "Hair
Loss Treatments" page for more information. |
