As the name suggests, Androgenetic ( or androgenic) hair loss is caused by genetic sensitivity to androgens ( male hormones). If you inherit the genes, from either side of your family, then you will lose some of your hair. By age 50, half of all men are suffering from it. The only question is how much and how quickly will you lose your hair? Typically male pattern hair loss can be seen in the diagrams below. Its progressive until Norwood stage 7 when it seems to stop. The speed of loss varies from person to person, and it may stop well before reaching stage Norwood 7. Unfortunately, its hard to predict how much loss will occur, especially if you are still young. Knowing what happened to your male relatives on both sides of the family can help, but it’s not an exact science.
When does it start?
Kick-starting the hair loss gene calls for large amounts of testosterone which is usually during puberty. Some men start losing their hair very early on, even in their teens. In others, it’s a much slower process. The degree and speed of hair loss is determined by your genetic sensitivity. Technically speaking, it isn’t testosterone itself that causes hair loss but a breakdown testosterone by-product call dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This is produced by an enzyme known as 5 Alpha dihydrogenase. This enzyme is made in 2 forms by the body: type 1 and type 2. Finasteride only works on type 1, which is why it doesn’t work for everybody. The new drug Dutasteride (Avodart) works on both types, but is not significantly better than Finesteride.
Using anabolic steroids ( sports men or women such as bodybuilders) which are similar to testosterone, can accelerate male pattern hair loss in men but also can trigger in women, leading to masculine looking facial features. Although intense exercise ( without using anabolic steroids) can increase natural testosterone levels, this isn’t enough to significantly alter your natural hair loss speed or pattern.
Contact Hair Medics UK today about your hair loss
Get in touch with Hair Medics UK on 02034413026 or via email at info@hairmedicsuk.com for more information about home use products or hair transplant.
