At some point in their lives, most men will experience male pattern baldness. Some experience this early on, in their 20s or 30s, while others notice it in their 50s and 60s. No matter what age they are, though, male pattern baldness can lead to quite a bit of psychological distress. However, by understanding the causes of male pattern baldness, you can learn how to accept and even treat this condition.
In general, there a three causes of male pattern baldness: hormones, genetics, and age.
Hormones
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is an androgen (male hormone) that is a byproduct of testosterone. DHT is crucial to helping individuals form male characteristics, including genitalia, jaw shape, your voice, and your body hair. While DHT is crucial for the male body, it is also what causes hair loss. DHT binds to a man’s hair follicles, causing those follicles to shrink and weaken. This slows down and eventually halts hair growth. The more sensitive you are to DHT, the sooner male pattern baldness will begin.
Genetics
All men have DHT, but their sensitivity to it is often inherited. If you have close family members who suffer from male pattern baldness, chances are you will too. This is especially the case if male pattern baldness is from the maternal side of your genes.
Age
Up to half of all white men over the age of 50 will experience some sort of male pattern baldness. That number continues to grow once you hit 70 years. While we don’t like to admit it, male pattern baldness is often a byproduct of aging. However, some men may even experience it in their teens or early 20s depending on their DHT sensitivity.
Male pattern baldness can be very distressing, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Dr. Kirit Kothari offers hair loss solutions from PRP hair restoration to medications. Schedule a consultation with him today to learn more.
Leave a Reply