Male Pattern Baldness, What Is It ?: Hair loss can occur for various reasons. Stress, diet, health, sleep, drug use, etc. But male pattern baldness, scientifically termed androgenic alopecia, is the most common cause of hair loss.

Male Pattern Baldness, What Is It ? – The Genetics

Male pattern baldness technically starts in the womb. Your predetermined genetics will manifest in male pattern baldness 20 to 40 years later depending on whether your mother passed it down to you through her X chromosome. Men whose mothers’ fathers suffer male pattern baldness have a much higher chance of experiencing the condition. And men whose fathers suffer male pattern baldness are also more likely. This is due to the fact that women have two X chromosomes while men have an X and a Y. The androgen receptors, which determine the fate of your hairline, reside within the X chromosome specifically. So both parents have the capacity to pass the gene down, it is just 50% more likely to come from the maternal side of the family.

Receding hairline due to male pattern baldness. — Patient seeking hair transplantation to address hairline recession

Crown hair loss resulting from male pattern baldness. — Empty crown due to male pattern baldness.

Once your genetic fate is decided, the mechanism of your inevitable male pattern baldness is actually expressed through hormones. Testosterone, in combination with the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase, turns into dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. DHT is a powerful hormone in the scalp that wreaks havoc on hair follicles, causing them to weaken and break off.

Is There A Cure For Male Pattern Baldness?

There are different treatment options for male pattern baldness, which depend on a few variables. The only solution that reverses hair loss permanently is hair transplantation. For more information on this solution to male pattern baldness, schedule a free online consultation with Dr. Umar of the DermHair Clinic.

Genetics of hair loss