Dht And Genetic Hair Loss

DHT and genetics may contribute to hair loss. At some point in a man's life, there will come a time that thinning of the hair may be transparent and the causes may be tracked down from ancestors as well as the DHT-component.

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a by-product of testosterone found both in men and to a lesser extent in women. The androgen hormone in DHT develops a male's sex characteristics during embryonic life, puberty stage and during latter years.

genetic hair loss man picture DHT has two known types namely the Type I and Type II 5-Alpha Reductive (5AR) isoenzymes. These two enzymes are produced in the adrenal glands, the prostate, the skin and scalp. Type II 5AR mostly comes from the scalp, while Type I is produced in large volumes by the sebaceous glands of the skin. The distribution of 5AR in different organs is based on findings of immunostaining practices.

DHT has been shown widely to be responsible in causing baldness to men and hair loss in women. It binds strongly to the androgen receptor and is five times more potent than testosterone. The patterned male hair loss is also attributed to androstanedione and DHEA, produced by adrenal glands.

When the adrenal glands produce excessive androstanedione or DHEA due to over stimulation, or tumor, an increased conversion of DHT occurs in the target organs, such as the hair follicle, prostate, and sebaceous gland.

DHT and genetic influences

Patterned hair loss in men occurs in their twenty's or thirty's. The initial sign for this kind of hair loss is developing a receding hairline that gradually thins the hair on top of the head. When the two balding areas meet, they will form a U-shape that stretches from the head's back and sides. Only finer and very thin hair is left in this patterned hair loss.

The hair follicles that are located at the top, front and crown of the head are those that are susceptible to DHT. The prolonged effect of DHT is that the follicle will decay, while the growth phase will be sharply reduced. Complete balding of the scalp is a result of shorter and thinner follicles, that eventually stops developing because of the influence of DHT.

When weak hair is produced or seen in the scalp, it means that from infancy the follicles go down to the level and some ceases to develop and die. If the anagen phase continues to slow down, the hair that is left is thinner, finer and weak to survive, and hair loss will sharply accelerate.

We all know that one of the causes of hair loss is achieved through heredity. If both parents, grandparents and other relatives experienced thinning of hair, there is a good chance that you will have this condition, too, especially if you are a male. Learning to accept the condition may help you ease yourself out of the problem. After all, you should see it as a system that has prevalently preoccupied almost everybody in the family.