According to the Medem Medical Library, approximately 25 percent of men begin balding by age 30 and two-thirds by the age of 60. There is a 4 in 7 chance of getting the baldness gene with both parents contributing to their offspring’s likelihood of hair loss although recent large studies conducted in 2005 and 2007 may indicate the maternal side will be a greater contributing factor. So it is strange how little is known on the causes of hair loss in men by the general public.

Common Hair Myths

“It’s because you used to use too much hair gel when you were young!” Aren’t you just sick and tired of hearing this from people who offer it as a pearl of wisdom. Other common misconceptions of the causes of hairloss include washing your hair too often or not enough, combing it too often or not enough and the one your friends will love reminding you of, too much masturbation. Others which have some truth in them include stress, poor diet and sleep patterns, use of anabolic steroids and lack of exercise which have all shown to be contributing factors that effect and increase the rate of hair loss in men predisposed to it.

Other misconceptions surrounding hair loss include it means the man has higher testosterone levels, perhaps propagated by balding men themselves to give their condition a positive spin, however as your about to find out it is not testosterone which is responsible for the hair loss but in fact a derivative of it. So unfortunately a bald head does not prove that you are testosteronally charged sex machine, however you can still tell the ladies that if it helps, lets just hope they are not reading this!

Now the type of baldness we are discussing here is a progressive hair thinning condition called androgenic alopecia or “male pattern baldness” that occurs in adult male humans and other species. Other illnesses and factors can lead to the loss of hair, such as radiation from cancer treatments, but these are not what we are concerned with here.

Dehydrotesterone

The main culprit in causing male pattern baldness has proven to be dehyrdotestosterone – but as what I have found, you’ll have trouble convincing anyone who doesn’t want to hear anything other than what they already know! Dehydrotesterone, commonly referred to as DHT, is a biologically active metabolite of the hormone testosterone, formed primarily in the prostate gland, testes, hair follicles, and adrenal glands by the enzyme 5α-reductase by means of reducing the 4,5 double-bond. It is responsible for the forming of male specific sex characteristics and is 3 times more potent than testosterone and should not be vilified as it performs an important role in the male body. But vilified it so often is because it is the primary contributing factor in male pattern baldness. Ok now pay attention, here comes the science part.

The most important structure of a hair follicle is the dermal papilla, which is responsible for hair growth. The cell of this dermal papilla divides to form new hair follicles and as it is in direct contact with the blood capillaries of the skin it also derives nutrients for hair follicle growth. When DHT reaches the hair follicles and dermal papilla, it prevents proteins, vitamins and minerals from providing the needed nourishment to sustain life in the hair of these follicles. With this, the hair follicles tend to reproduce at a slower rate and this in turn either shortens the growing phase of the hair follicles or lengthens its resting stage.

DHT also causes hair follicles to shrink making them gets smaller and finer. This is known as miniaturization and is what in essence causes the hair to fall off Furthermore DHT tends to create a wax like substance around the hair roots and it is this accumulation of DHT in the hair follicles and roots that gives rise to male and female pattern hair loss. So there you have it DHT is responsible for about 95% of hair loss.

Those who lose more hair are genetically pre-disposed in producing more DHT than others. But just try convincing your friends family that, they’ll tut in disagreement and disapproval and tell you the reason for your hair loss is that you used too much gel, or washed it in hot water and son and on and on. Its enough to make you want to tear your hair out!

Author Bio: Combat hair loss permanently with hair implants! Michael is Practice Manager at the Australian Institute of Hair Restoration and Advance Beauty Cosmetic Surgery Clinic. Call Michael at 1300733092 for a free consultation to discuss about your hair conditions in Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane or Melbourne – Australia.

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