Male pattern baldness

Androgenetic Alopecia or male pattern baldness accounts for 95% of all hair loss. Generally, it begins with a receding hairline and then the hair begins to thin on the crown and temples. These areas eventually meet to become completely bald. Male pattern baldness is genetic and a very common phenomenon. It is often seen as a sign of ageing, but the onset can vary. It usually starts in the late twenties and thirties and by the age of sixty, most men experience some degree of hair loss.

Facts of Male Pattern Baldness

• There are several causes of hair loss. However, male pattern baldness is the most common type of hair loss and is typically permanent. It accounts for about 95% of hair loss in men.
• Male pattern baldness is a condition that can be inherited from either the mother’s or father’s side.
• Male pattern baldness can start in your teens, 20s or 30s.
• Male pattern baldness affects up to one-third of all men.
• By the age of 50, approximately 50% of men have significantly thinning hair.
• It’s not normal to lose 150 or more hairs a day.

Hair is lost in a well-defined pattern, beginning above both temples. Over time, the hairline recedes to form a characteristic “M” shape. Hair also thins at the crown (near the top of the head), often progressing to partial or complete baldness.

When Androgenetic Alopecia occurs large active hair follicles in specific areas begin to change to smaller less active ones that shrink slightly with each new growth cycle. The enzyme 5 Alpha Reductase is thought to be the major cause of this. Under the action of the enzyme the male hormone testosterone become Dihydrotestosterone. This causes the hair shafts to narrow producing progressively finer hairs with each new growth cycle until eventually the hairs become transparent and stops emerging. If an individual has Androgenetic alopecia the overall levels of testosterone may be normal however the activity of 5 Alpha Reductase is greater than normal, which results in increased amounts of Dihydrotestosterone in the hair follicle.

It is interesting to note that individuals with a deficiency in 5 – Alpha Reductase do not develop Androgenetic Alopecia. This is because the body is unable to convert testosterone into Dihydrotestosterone. Androgens are important for normal male sexual development before birth and during puberty. Androgens also have other important functions in both males and females, such as regulating hair growth and sex drive.