Why Are Men More Prone To Hair Loss?

Hair loss can affect people of all genders and ages, but the problem is especially common among middle aged men. Male pattern baldness affects about half of all men over the age of 50, and it can begin in the twenties, or even before. It’s the condition responsible for about 95% of male hair loss.

Some men accept thinning hair as a natural consequence of getting older, and it has little or no impact on their self-esteem. However, it is natural to care about your appearance, and many men find that the loss of a healthy full head of hair affects their confidence and sense of self. It may even lead to anxiety and depression in some cases.

Causes of male pattern baldness

While women also experience pattern baldness, it tends to occur at an older age, and it doesn’t have the same trigger as male pattern baldness. In men, baldness is often seen as a sign of high testosterone levels. This is reinforced in popular culture, where bald men often have a virile ‘hard man’ image, but this is an incorrect assumption.

There is a link between the male hormone testosterone and hair loss, but it is not directly responsible, and the volume present in the body is unrelated. It is actually the androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT) that is the direct link with hair loss. In most adults, about 10% of all testosterone in the body is converted into DHT.

DHT is vital to the healthy functioning of the male body, support muscle strength and mass, glucose regulation, the immune system, sex drive, and heart health. In some men, DHT also causes the hair follicles on the head to shrink, and the natural growth cycle becomes shorter.

Some men are more sensitive to the effects of DHT than others, and there is a strong genetic link. Therefore, men whose fathers lost their hair relatively early in life may find that the same will happen to them. The shrinking hair follicles result in the hair becoming sparse and fine, and over time, the follicles may die altogether.

The balding process usually begins at the temples and crown, and then spreads over the entire scalp. However, facial hair remains unaffected, so even though a man may only have a fine fuzz of hair on his head, he can still grow a full beard and moustache.

Other causes of male baldness

In some cases, hair loss, especially if it is sudden, can be the sign of an underlying medical condition. It can also be caused by stress and shock, or certain medications. This type of hair loss, while distressing, is usually temporary, as the hair follicles have been pushed into a resting cycle, and will become active again once normal functioning is resumed.

Can hair loss be treated?

There are treatments available for male pattern baldness, such as minoxidil. This works by stimulating blood flow to the scalp, and if there are some living hair follicles left, new hair growth may be achieved.

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