Testosterone, much like Goldilocks in the classic children’s story, is best when it is “just right.” Both too much and too little testosterone can play a role in hair loss. The complicated way in which sex hormones play a role in hair loss is confusing and creates a lot of misinformation.
You may have been told, for instance, that balding is a sign of too much testosterone. It might be. Or it might be a sign that your testosterone is too low. How do you figure it out? That’s when it’s time to consult with a professional.
Does Testosterone Cause Hair Loss?
The short answer is no, but it is far too complex a question to give just a short answer.
Healthline explains it this way: “It’s not the amount of testosterone or DHT that causes baldness; it’s the sensitivity of your hair follicles. That sensitivity is determined by genetics.”
But even that answer doesn’t really explain the complexity of your body’s interaction with testosterone (or even the different types of androgens) active in a person every day. Free testosterone in your blood stream is a good thing and helps with processes like building lean muscle. But when testosterone is combined with 5-alpha reductase it creates a more concentrated form called DHT, or dihydrotestosterone.
DHT – especially in men – is a very necessary hormone. It encourages the development of sex characteristics and helps keep your prostate healthy.
But in people with a genetic disposition to balding, it can also hasten pattern baldness. For the general population, however, high testosterone does not lead to more incidents of balding… according to this German study.
Does Balding Mean Low Testosterone?
Severely low testosterone may lead to some hair loss, but it is generally not the type of hair loss our patients are concerned about. According to the Cleveland Clinic, men with low testosterone sometimes see hair loss in their armpits and pubic regions. They generally do not have the same pattern baldness issues as men with high (or even normal) amounts of testosterone.
How Does Testosterone Affect Hair?
When a person – male or female – has the genetic predisposition toward pattern baldness, DHT can attack the hair follicles. This can cause damage to the follicles or simply convince them not to grow new hair. So, the old hair grows, then rests, and falls out as normal… but the new hair does not grow to replace it.
Is Hair Loss from Testosterone Reversible?
Androgenic alopecia – hair loss from the combination of genetics and DHT – is treatable and can often be reversed. Many of the well-known treatments for hair loss focus on stimulating hair growth in these cases.
Precision Hair Restoration Can Diagnose and Treat Your Hair Loss
We understand what Goldilocks was looking for and that you are too. It’s all about looking your best and feeling confident for as long as you can. So, whether it’s prescribing the right steps to regrow hair you have already lost or helping perfect testosterone levels so you stop losing your hair… Precision Hair Restoration can help. Instead of hunting everywhere for that perfect porridge, call us today.
