In MEN, the most common cause of long term permanent hair loss is a condition known as male pattern baldness. This is a genetically related condition that results in genes targeting hair follicles that are sensitive to the hormone dihydrotestostesrone (DHT), thus causing them to shrink. This shrinkage can result in a permanent recession of the hair line as well as an overall thinning over the entire crown of the head. The onset of male pattern baldness varies from person to person. It is most common for it to begin at middle age however; it can begin as early as the late teens.
| Male Pattern Hair Loss | |
| Age on onset | Usually noticed in the mid 20's |
| Alternative Causes of Hair Loss | 99% of bald men have Androgenetic Hair Loss, caused by the effect of the hormone Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on the hair follicle. |
| Extent of Loss | Complete, 100%, hair loss in a area is common |
| Evolution of Baldness | Bald from the outside-in the front, & inside out-in in the back, very common to lose the frontal hair line early in process. |
| Miniaturization of Normal Hair | Hair growth miniaturizes because of a longer resting cycle before it disappears. |
| Normal Hormone Levels | Normal Testosterone & Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) Levels |
| Reaction to Finasteride (Propecia) | Males respond to Finasteride (Propecia) by slowing or stopping loss, and 48% re-grow hair. |
| Either Pattern Can Occur in Either Sex | Men can have classical female pattern hair loss, sometimes referred to as Diffuse Undifferentiated Patterned Alopecia (DUPA). |
| Seem to Respond to Cell Division Therapies | Male Pattern Hair Loss responds to minoxidil (Rogaine) therapy and Low Level Laser Therapy, both of which seem to work by accelerating cell division |
| Successful | Men can nearly always benefit from Hair Restoration Services. |