If you’ve done any research on hair loss, you’ll likely have come across the term “Dihydrotestosterone” or DHT for short. It’s known to be one potential cause of hair loss, but what exactly is it?
Here you’ll discover everything you need to know about DHT and how it affects the hair.
What is DHT?
Dihydrotestosterone is a hormone often confused as being testosterone due to its name. However, it isn’t actually testosterone. Instead, it’s a modified version of the popular male hormone.
Some of your testosterone develops into DHT and when it does, it becomes stronger than the original testosterone hormone. Experts suggest DHT is actually a staggering five times more powerful than testosterone. So, if you have a high level of DHT in the body, it is more likely you’ll develop hair loss.
How does DHT affect the hair?
Two discoveries have been made linking DHT to male hair loss. Firstly, hairs that were plucked from balding men showed high levels of DHT. More importantly, when the levels of DHT were reduced, it showed hair loss actually slowed down and in some cases, reversed completely.
DHT causes the hair follicles to shrink, in turn shortening the hair growth cycle and causing the hair to become thinner. This means the hair won’t grow back as long and it’s also easier to shed. That’s when the classic male pattern baldness “horseshoe” shape develops.
However, while DHT is a known cause of hair loss, it isn’t the only cause. There are many factors which can lead to hair loss so it’s not as simple as just reducing the DHT levels. A cure still hasn’t been found for male pattern baldness, but there are many effective treatments out there.
So, now you know what DHT is and how it can lead to hair loss. If you’re worried about male pattern baldness, it’s a good idea to seek help from a hair specialist. They’ll be able to help you identify the best treatments to fit you.
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