For men who start losing their hair, one of the first questions on their mind is – why is this happening?

Everyone knows that a certain percentage of men go bald but not everyone knows the scientific reason behind it. It’s easy to blame factors such as stress and poor diet, and whilst they certainly play a role in the health of your hair, they’re not the primary culprit.

The role of DHT

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a male sex hormone and is the main cause of male pattern balding. The reason that balding occurs is due to the hair follicle’s sensitivity to DHT, which causes them to shrink, or ‘miniaturize’. Miniaturization causes your hair to grow for shorter periods as well as becoming lighter and finer. This type of hair is often referred to as ‘peach fuzz’.

The amount of DHT produced in the body varies from one individual to the next. This is why men lose their hair at different rates and to varying degrees. For some men, balding occurs very slowly over a number of years, whilst for others it’s

The most widely used drug to treat hair loss – finasteride, is essentially a DHT inhibitor. It works by blocking the production of DHT at a systemic level and therefore halting the advancement of male pattern balding.

Other causes of hair loss

Whilst DHT is responsible for the vast majority of cases of male pattern balding, it’s not the only reason why men lose their hair. Below are some other causes –

Trauma – There are two types of trauma that can cause hair loss. The first is trauma to your hair itself that often occurs as a result of wearing or ponytail or other tight hair styles such as cornrows. The second type of trauma is emotional trauma that can occur due to surgery, illness or poisoning.

Medication – There are a number of medications that can cause hair loss, especially those for blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

Nutrition – It’s been shown that poor nutrition can cause hair to become weak and thin, however complete balding usually doesn’t occur.

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Source: Robert Jones via http://www.drrobertjones.com/cause-hair-loss/

Picture from http://www.nutekmedicalcentremumbai.com/hair-loss-profile