Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a hormone that plays a role in male and female pattern hair loss (also known as androgenic alopecia). DHT is a byproduct of testosterone that binds to hair follicles – causing them to shrink and produce fewer, thinner hairs. In men, it can lead to male pattern hair loss with its distinctive receding M-shaped hairline and in women it causes overall hair thinning.
What Is the Main Cause of DHT?
Rising DHT levels are part of aging. As we get older, DHT levels increase and anyone with a genetic sensitivity to it will see greater impacts from this process. Certain medications and lifestyle choices also increase DHT levels. Stress, smoking, alcohol consumption, and poor diet can lead to higher DHT levels.
What Does DHT Do to the Body?
DHT isn’t universally bad. In fact, it plays a significant role in male fetal, childhood, and adolescent development. DHT is responsible for the development of sexual organs, sebaceous gland activity, and hair growth on the scalp, face, and body.
However, having too much DHT can be problematic for adult men and women. In addition to its impact on the hair and scalp, high DHT can cause other troubling symptoms. Men may experience prostate changes, increased hair on the face and body, adult acne, excess sweating, sleep disruptions, aggression, high blood pressure, or a high red blood cell count. In women, high DHT may cause irregular periods, acne, or hair growth on the face and body.
How Do I Know If My DHT Is High?
If you are experiencing expanding or accelerating pattern baldness – or if you have any combination of the previously mentioned symptoms – your DHT levels may be too high. If you suspect high DHT levels, consult your physician… they may order a blood test to confirm a diagnosis.
Is it Bad to Block DHT?
Today’s DHT blockers are considered safe for most healthy adults. Side effects are infrequent, but you should be aware of them.
Medications that block DHT may cause side effects such as erectile dysfunction, decreased libido, and other sexual side effects. In rare cases, these medications can cause nausea, vomiting, or heart-related complications.
Topical DHT blockers may cause scalp irritation, dryness, or itchiness but do not impact sexual function because they aren’t absorbed into the bloodstream. If you have any side effects while using a DHT blocker, consult your healthcare provider as soon as possible.
Is DHT Hair Loss Reversible?
DHT-related hair loss tends to be permanent. Once your hair follicles stop producing hair, there is no way to reverse the process. You can, however, slow or halt hair loss caused by DHT. You may even be able to regrow hair from slow-producing follicles that are still active.
DHT blockers come in both oral and topical forms. The industry standard oral route DHT blocker is finasteride (trade name Propecia), and there are several promising medications in trials or in off-label use.
There are also numerous supplements and natural DHT blockers that may reduce DHT’s effect on your hair and scalp. Some potentially DHT-blocking agents are pumpkin seed oil, saw palmetto, green tea, and reishi mushroom.
As for topical products, there are countless shampoos, oils, and serums claiming to block DHT. Their efficacy is difficult to gauge though because these products do not stay on the scalp long enough to produce obvious impacts.
While DHT blockers can be highly effective in slowing hair loss, you may eventually want to consider hair replacement surgery – which is the only way to permanently replace hair lost to androgenic alopecia.
Reef Hair Guides You Through Your Hair Replacement Journey
Reef Hair offers a full spectrum of treatments and transplantation options for male and female pattern baldness, as well as all other types of hair loss. We specialize in device assisted ARTAS® and NeoGraft® procedures, in addition to classic manual FUE and FUT transplants.
Contact us today to set up a consultation at our Huntington Beach offices. At your initial appointment, we will perform a full hair and scalp analysis, and discuss potential treatments so you can choose the one that will help you achieve the hairline you desire!
