Increased total testosterone in women with alopecia. Baldness in men

Bruce Willis, Vin Diesel or Michael Jordan are some examples of strong and courageous guys with big amount fans They also have something in common: they are bald. It is often said that bald men- more courageous. A popular theory is that they have higher levels of the male hormone testosterone, which makes them more masculine and increases their size. sexual desire but they lose hair in more at a young age than other men. The truth, however, is a little more complicated. What stimulates hair loss in men?

Historical studies of baldness

Baldness depends on testosterone - it's true. Back in 1960, Dr. James B. Hamilton of Yale University studied 21 boys who were castrated. Earlier similar method sometimes used for boys diagnosed with behavioral or mental problems. He found that they showed no signs of development male pattern baldness as you grow older. Hamilton was not the first to find a link between testosterone and baldness. Hippocrates and Aristotle had done the same thing centuries earlier. Hamilton suggested that high testosterone levels could lead to baldness, but in fact the level doesn't matter. U bald men There may still be low levels of the hormone testosterone in the blood.

Genetic predisposition

Scientists have proven that it is not the amount of testosterone circulating in the blood that dictates baldness, but genetics. Several genes are believed to be involved in this process. As a result hair follicles become especially sensitive to small amounts of circulating testosterone. This process is not yet fully understood, but it involves an enzyme that converts testosterone into a substance called dihydrotestosterone, which causes hair follicles to shrink in some people, cutting off their blood supply and nutrients. As the follicle shrinks, the growth cycle becomes shorter and the new hairs become finer and finer. Eventually, the follicle goes dormant and no longer produces hair. Baldness starts at the top of the head and then moves down the head. Bald men are genetically predisposed to be more sensitive to dihydrotestosterone, but the follicles on the chin are not affected by hormones, so the beards continue to grow.

Methods for treating baldness

Since theories have been developed about the effect of testosterone on men's hair, then there are different ways treatment. In the 1960s, there were interesting attempts to treat baldness by adding testosterone directly to the scalp. Early researchers tried to make an ointment, but it was so heavy and greasy that people didn't want to participate in the trials, so they created testosterone cream instead. However, most men dropped out of the study before the required ten months had passed. The cream did not help hair grow back, and although half of the people who... took part in the trial, said they thought it helped slow the rate of hair loss, experimenters did not confirm this.

Some people who do not lose hair have low levels enzyme that converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, therefore Lately Researchers are looking for ways to block the enzyme in bald men. A treatment called finasteride works on this principle, but it is expensive and must be used constantly or hair loss will start again.

Baldness seems to attract more myths than many other problems, perhaps because its distribution is so arbitrary that we seek explanations. In general, if a person has lost his, unfortunately, he cannot claim to be more courageous. All that remains for him is to blame his parents for the inherited genes.

You are an aggressive, sexy, masculine man, and testosterone is pumping powerfully throughout your body. Are you proud of your muscles, your sexual desire, filled with male hormone body. And the same thing that makes you big, strong and sexy man, can make you bald. Add to this another irony - the more hair you lose on your head, the more hair will grow in your ears, nose, shoulders and back.

People first linked testosterone with male baldness when they noticed eunuchs, who, unlike ordinary men, never lost their hair. Fifteenth-century castrati in Italian opera always had a full head of hair. The same thing was observed among soldiers who received testicular damage in battle.

Eunuchs who do not produce testosterone never go bald, even if they have a genetic predisposition. However, if testosterone is administered to a castrate with a genetic predisposition to baldness, he will lose hair within classic version- in the shape of a horseshoe. So how is testosterone related to classic male pattern baldness?

How does testosterone affect hair?

Typically, the scalp loses about 100 hairs a day and grows 100 new ones to replace it. But the hormone testosterone can disrupt this dynamic balance. Testosterone in the form of DHT (dihydrotestosterone) stimulates hair growth on the face and body. But in men who carry a certain gene, the same hormone gradually de-vegetates the scalp, giving their aging heads a sheen while covering their ears, shoulders and backs with hair. Scalp hair loss occurs under the influence of the conversion of testosterone to DHT (dihydrotestosterone). So if you have a family history of hair loss, your scalp hair will likely become thinner, leading to male pattern baldness.

But how does testosterone, the hormone that made you a man, deal with your hair? Research shows that balding men have normal levels of the hormone in their blood, but the levels of DHT in their hair follicles are significantly elevated. Thus, it is not testosterone itself that makes your head increasingly shiny. Testosterone is converted to DHT by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase, which is produced in the prostate, adrenal glands and scalp. Over time, the action of DHT causes the hair follicle to weaken, reducing active phase growth. And although the bulb is “technically” still alive and provided with a good blood supply, this will not prevent the development of male baldness. New hair grows slower and in smaller quantities, but hair loss continues at the usual pace - I see the result in the mirror every day.

Some hair follicles will gradually die, but most will shrink to the size seen in newborn babies. The hair growing from such follicles is weak, thin, and more like fluff than coarse male hair.

But excess DHT does not cause baldness on its own. Most men who lose their hair have hereditary predisposition to the so-called "androgenetic alopecia". In general, we can say that the rate of hair loss depends on three factors: mature age, inherited predisposition and the presence of an excess of our old friend - DHT, in the hair follicles.

Hair loss is just a secondary sexual characteristic...

So who is more likely to lose their hair? From a genetic point of view, the chances of going bald are much higher for fair-skinned and fair-haired men. In addition, the chances are also significantly higher if you are from the Caucasus. That is, if you are a fair-skinned, blond Caucasian, and with a family history of baldness, your chances of having a shiny head are much higher than those of a Japanese or African-American.

Of course, genetic predisposition and overproduction of DHT in hair follicles are not the only reasons for hair loss. The rate of hair loss can be increased by diet, which affects hormonal background our body. A recent study in Japan found that more man focused on a Western diet, the faster he loses hair. It is known that fatty foods and red meat (staples western diet) contribute to hair loss. And, of course, stress helps get rid of hair, which activates the production of adrenaline (the same family of testosterone).

So what can you do besides pray? Keep calm. Eat healthy and nutritious foods, maybe switch to an oriental diet with lots of vegetables and soy. As for baldness... You have nothing to be ashamed of. Your bald head is just nature's way of indicating that you are a muscled guy good material- testosterone and DHT.

Video: "Hair loss"

It is believed that elevated levels in the blood contribute to early baldness. Is it so?

The male hormone testosterone provides hair on the body and face when another form of it can deprive hairline on the head.

In fact, in isolation it will not affect the functioning and growth of hair follicles. To "launch" early androgenetic alopecia, a man must have a certain set of factors.

Rice. 1 - Variants of baldness in men associated with testosterone - androgenic alopecia.

hereditary predisposition (a certain set of genes transmitted recessively);
hormonal levels ( elevated level );
age range (25-45 years).

A man cannot start losing hair just because he is 30 years old or has elevated levels of testosterone in his blood. To start the process, a set of specially adapted genes is required. Thanks to them, testosterone acts on the individual receptors of the hair follicle.

How does testosterone affect hair loss?

Free testosterone cannot affect certain receptors, since it has no affinity with them. Even with, testosterone levels may be within normal limits. The amount of its other fraction, dihydrotestosterone, is increased.

How does hair loss occur under hormonal influence?

The enzyme 5-alpha reductase is responsible for converting testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. This enzyme, when activated in the blood, binds to the free fraction of testosterone. After the interaction of these two substances, two hydroxyl groups are added to the testosterone molecule, which provides bloodstream active fraction of dehydrogenase. An increased level of the latter in the hair follicle has a detrimental effect on hair growth and development. In fact, this enzyme does not kill hair or destroy hair follicles. It gradually blocks the intake of nutrients from the blood flow in the capillary system. Over time, the hair becomes thinner and resembles vellus hair. The hair becomes colorless and very thin. After a few years, the hair follicle stops its activity altogether, and even such hair disappears. In the affected follicle, the bulb itself does not suffer: it does not become sclerotic, but simply stops functioning. So similar phenomenon reversible.

Signs of androgenetic alopecia

Alopecia due to a combination hereditary factors and an increase in dihydrotestosterone, has its own characteristics. And by clinical signs a correct diagnosis can be assumed.

Distinctive features of androgenetic alopecia:

characteristic areas of hair loss (parietal tubercles and frontal region);
stages of baldness characteristic of this type of pathology;
increased levels of dihydrotestosterone;
the presence of a hereditary chain (persistent traceability of one type of baldness in the male half).

The stages of baldness in almost every man suffering from androgenetic alopecia are quite accurately repeated.

The mechanism of hair loss has 7 stages:

Methods of treatment and prevention

Therapy is divided into specific and nonspecific.

Specific Therapy

Specific therapy involves directly eliminating the cause that caused baldness.

Modern medicine has developed drugs that can act locally on the hair follicle, improving its growth. Most known drug is Minoxidil and other minoxidil-based drugs. Its mechanism of action aimed at improving hair growth is not fully understood. It is believed that active substance minoxidil improves hair nutrition, which provokes improved growth (read more about this).

The second specific link that can be affected is 5-alpha reductase. But they should be used only under the strict supervision of the attending physician, since these drugs have a number of side effects. They can provoke a slowdown or cessation of sperm maturation and be a risk factor malignant neoplasms. One of the representatives of 5-alpha reductase blockers is Finasteride.

Nonspecific therapy

Nonspecific therapy is aimed at symptomatic treatment. Basically, external products are used that will help improve local blood supply and help nourish the hair from the outside with useful components.

Examples nonspecific therapy can be:

electrical effect on the scalp by D’arsonval;
scalp massage;
acupuncture;
electrophoresis with active serums;
application nourishing masks for hair.

Recently it was developed surgical technique combating androgenetic alopecia - hair follicle transplantation using the STRIP and FUE method.

FAQ on baldness

Is it true that early bald men have higher testosterone levels?

Testosterone itself has no effect on hair follicles. With normal levels of testosterone in the blood, it can be increased active form- dihydrotestosterone. This is due to a complex of reasons that are indicated in the article.

Is it possible to cure androgenetic alopecia without resorting to special means?

Unfortunately, traditional methods or simply hope and time cannot cure alopecia.

Will vitamins help with androgenetic alopecia?

They will only slightly slow down the thinning of the hair shaft.

Does scratching or wearing hats cause hair loss?

No. On the contrary, scratching increases blood flow and improves nutrition of the bulb.

Will hair transplant help? For how long? How much does this procedure cost?

Hair transplant will not solve the problem. These bulbs will begin to die again. Complex hormonal treatment With a transplant it will eliminate the problem of baldness for a long time. The procedure costs about 10,000 rubles.

Trichologists are well aware of the concept of dihydrotestosterone and its relationship with hair loss.

Most people are not even aware that elevated testosterone levels contribute to baldness. You need to understand what comes before this disease and how to deal with it.

Testosterone is essential hormone. He is responsible for the vital processes of the body. Dihydrotestosterone is formed from testosterone. How does this happen?

Some testosterone is stored in circulatory system in an inactive state. During the life of the body, the hormone is transformed into dihydrotestosterone.

Modern medicine has proven that dihydrotestosterone has a detrimental effect on root system hair, oppressing her. In most cases, it is this hormone that causes irreparable damage to the hair follicles.

But don't forget that this problem may be associated with other circumstances, such as:

nervous stress;
avitaminosis;
suffered nervous shocks;
poor nutrition;
bad environment and so on.

Medical practice has shown that if you bring normal testosterone levels back to normal, then baldness stops immediately. Dihydrotestosterone needs testosterone, since without the latter the synthesis process is not possible. The hormone can lead to baldness in both men and women.

An increased level of dihydrotestosterone negatively affects the hair roots, which is why at the first signs of hair loss you should first pay attention to this hormone.

It is characteristic that the issue of dihydrotestosterone and hair loss in women has more rare cases, while the mechanism of action occurs at the level of androgenetic alopecia, which leads to baldness. In the male half of the population, the culprit of hair loss is an increase in the level of the hormone in the blood. If you notice that there is a problem on the early stage, the cause of which was an increased level of the hormone, in which case it will be much easier to cope with the disease.

Read about luteinizing hormone imbalances.

Androgenic alopecia

If the hormone is produced in double doses, then the so-called androgenic alopecia occurs. The hair follicles shrink under the pressure of the hormone, as a result of which the hair weakens, grows poorly and eventually dies. Based on this, we can conclude that testosterone itself and its derivative do not allow the hair follicle to perform its functions.

It is very easy to notice the first symptoms androgenic alopecia in women, since in addition to bald patches on the head, in most cases there is acne, increased hairiness of the hands and sweating, over upper lip tendrils begin to sprout.

Testosterone by itself cannot turn into dihydrotestosterone; this must be given some impetus.

Typically, this can happen due to the following factors:

adrenal dysfunction and thyroid gland;
taking various hormonal contraceptives;
stressful situations.

It is important to know that even with normal level testosterone may cause hair loss. This is due to the fact that women react particularly sharply to an increase in this hormone.

Even if this hormone is slightly increased, being within acceptable limits, the effect of baldness will still be present.

Symptoms of dihydrotestosterone alopecia

It is important to know the first signs that appear when there is an excess of dihydrotestosterone, because this will help determine the presence of a problem and begin timely treatment.

So, the effect of baldness due to increased testosterone is accompanied by the following symptoms:

the hairs weaken along their entire length, becoming brittle and thin;
most frequent zones baldness - from the crown to the areas of the temporal lobes;
fluff grows in place of the fallen hair.

As previously mentioned, in addition to these symptoms, women may experience acne on the face, increased hairiness on the arms and legs, the presence of small antennae above the upper lip. The first symptoms indicating elevated testosterone levels are quite easy to recognize, and anyone can handle it. It is very important to respond to them immediately and seek help from a highly qualified specialist.

All of the above symptoms indicate that the level of testosterone in the human body is increased, which is why the effect of baldness occurs.

Treatment

Definitely, treatment should be done only experienced doctor-trichologist.

On initial stage he conducts examinations visual inspection and takes everything necessary tests. These measures will help to deliver more accurate analysis and, therefore, to determine the most effective course therapy.

If the survey data confirm that baldness is due to hormonal imbalance in the body, in which case the patient will need to undergo additional examinations at the gynecologist, urologist and endocrinologist.

First of all, a trichologist recommends taking tests to determine the level of testosterone in the body, since elevated levels of this hormone are the most common cause of baldness. In addition, an experienced doctor counts the number of hairs on the affected area of the scalp and evaluates the amount of epithelium. This procedure must be performed to determine the level of alopecia.

Apart from hormonal drugs, the doctor in most cases prescribes:

use of hair restoration lotions, use natural shampoos and masks;
herbal decoctions for rubbing into the affected areas;
compresses and ointments to strengthen hair and roots;
compliance useful mode nutrition;
refusal bad habits such as alcohol and smoking.

At the same time, do not forget about frequent walks on fresh air, you must follow the recommended temperature regime and do your own physical training.

In especially severe cases, male and female pattern baldness can be treated by hair transplantation, as well as by means of laser therapy. However, these extreme measures are applied only when all other methods of recovery normal height hair were not effective.

For the treatment of male pattern baldness, drugs containing Minoxidil and Finasteride are most often used. The latter is contained in a popular drug called Propecia. It is worth emphasizing that the use of this drug is allowed only for men. With regular use, hair loss stops, and hair follicles begin to recover.

Minoxidil as a hair restoration product increased testosterone, can be prescribed for women. However, it should be borne in mind that for men the Minoxidil content in the drug should be at the level of 6-15%. Medications with a lower concentration of Minoxidil are suitable for women.

Treatment for women may be limited to a regular low-carbohydrate diet. This will help restore natural hormonal imbalances.

However, in more advanced cases, a woman may be prescribed Metformin.

It is worth remembering that self-treatment the disease will not bring results. In case of androgenetic alopecia, it is necessary to urgently contact an experienced specialist who will conduct the necessary tests and prescribe the most effective therapy using medications.

In any case, when more than a hundred hairs fall out per day, then in 99% there is the presence of alopecia. It is not difficult even for a non-specialist to recognize increased levels of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the body. It is very important to pay attention to the first symptoms, which appear quite acutely, and immediately take appropriate measures.

How does this affect male pattern baldness?

Why do men go bald when hormone levels change? Depending on the level of testosterone in a man’s body, the first changes will affect hairiness in different parts bodies. First of all, problems will begin to appear on the beard, head and chest. Later, the armpits, legs, back and scrotum may suffer. Note that with low testosterone levels, hair falls out, and with high testosterone levels, hair grows abundantly. Although there are exceptions.

Beard

With an increase in testosterone levels in the body, men's beard begins to grow stronger and faster. Usually you have to shave every day because the hair becomes coarse and breaks through the skin after a few hours. This phenomenon may be accompanied by the appearance of ulcers and wounds. If the hormone testosterone is low, then the beard grows poorly, there are places on the face where there is no hair at all, and there may be bald patches.

Head

Regardless of the level of testosterone in a man's body, the hair on his head will be the first to suffer. Baldness usually occurs when hormone levels are high or low. Because the hormone is inhibited by a special enzyme, turning into DHT, which leads to the destruction of hair follicles.

With high testosterone, the situation is different, because the hormone is unevenly distributed, affecting the growth of hair on the chest or back. And a certain “vitaminosis” begins on the head.

To normalize the condition, you need to take tests and undergo hormonal therapy.

Breast

With low testosterone, a man will have almost no chest hair, will be thin and fluff-like. But the high content of the hormone has a different effect - the entire chest to the stomach is covered with coarse and long hair.

Back

At normal testosterone Men have almost no hair on their backs. This is characteristic only of eastern nations. But an elevated level of the hormone indicates problems when hair grows especially thickly in the shoulder area and along the spine.

Other parts

Hair in the armpits, groin and legs is not an indicator of the state of the hormonal system. But the appearance of obvious gaps and hair loss indicates that testosterone is falling and you need to go to the doctor.

The connection between high hormone levels and alopecia

Why do men go bald with high levels of the hormone? Speaking about high testosterone levels and hair loss in men, experts have not yet come to a consensus and have not found a relationship.

Because latest research in America, carried out on several thousand patients, showed that the level of the hormone in the bulbs of the head is almost the same in everyone. Therefore, it is not testosterone that affects hair growth, but sensitivity to it.

Therefore, an excess can lead to the fact that testosterone begins to inhibit and destroy the structure of the bulbs, especially when taking anabolic steroids and artificial drugs. Therefore, treatment with aggressive medications does not produce results.

Important! It was also concluded that prostate cancer and problems with the adrenal glands lead to changes in hormone levels, so among patients there are 20% more bald people.

Treatment by normalizing indicators

Let us immediately highlight that there are no specific methods for treating baldness due to unstable testosterone. More often, therapy is aimed at converting the hormone into dihydrotestosterone using hormonal pills. Treatment may not be safe because stopping medication may cause symptoms to return.

You also need to follow the following rules:

Watch your diet, avoid fatty and smoked foods.
Maintain good hygiene.
Change your comb.
Choose natural, organic shampoos and hair conditioners.
Give up bad habits.

You can also purchase decoctions and masks to stimulate hair growth.

Particularly effective are 5-alpha reductase inhibitors - substances that stimulate the production of the hormone without adverse reaction organism.

You can also use the following recipes:

Rub castor or sea buckthorn oil into the roots of the hair, covering the head with a towel. Repeat the procedure three to four times a week.
Rinse your hair with a decoction based on onion peel, burdock or linden.
Make a mask from the yolk and vegetable oil(1 tablespoon). They need to be mixed and applied to clean hair, rubbing into the roots. Keep the mask on for 20 minutes and then rinse with clean water.

Video on the topic

The connection between testosterone and hair growth in men is discussed in this video:

Conclusion

Hair loss or excessive hair growth in men is associated specifically with the hormone testosterone, so treatment of the problem should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor. Indeed, in the future, problems may affect not only the hair, but also the functions of the genital organs, immune system, kidneys and heart.

Remember also that testosterone can have different effects on the hair and condition of each man’s hair follicles, since the issue is individual, and the symptoms sometimes do not coincide. Therefore, be careful, drive healthy image life and do not forget about personal hygiene.