Skin and hair are the areas of visible beauty; and both are affected by age – the reason – declining testosterone. Testosterone plays a large role in balding, in both men and women. It’s a proven fact that low testosterone levels can cause a condition called androgenic alopecia, commonly known as balding. Testosterone is not the only cause of balding, but this hormone plays a very major role in hair loss.

Testosterone Forms found In the Blood

Testosterone is basically found in three forms. “Free” testosterone is utilized by muscles. For other parts of body, testosterone is present in the form of dihydrotestosterone, abbreviated as DHT. An enzyme named “5-alpha reductase” gets attached with testosterone to make DHT. Albumin and SHBG are other substances that normally attach to testosterone in the blood. These connections can be broken down and testosterone can be made available as a “Free” hormone. When we measure total testosterone hormone in the blood, we are measuring all forms of the hormone, whether free, or bound with other substances.

Free Testosterone Is Responsible for Baldness

Baldness in men, and sometimes in women, occurs because of low levels of testosterone. Research published in the “Journal of Andrology” says that baldness seems to be a hormonal disorder associated with free testosterone. Reduced free and total testosterone results in frontal baldness. If baldness is neither frontal nor vertex, it means that men are facing an extreme reduction in Free Testosterone Hormone.

DHT Results in Extensive Hair Loss

It is not an assumption that DHT causes extensive hair loss, it is a fact proven through research done by the American Hair Loss Association. Testosterone gets attached to follicles and causes them to shrink. Blood flow to the follicles is disturbed and hair production ceases. High levels of DHT, despite normal total testosterone, may also lead to hair loss.

Testosterone Levels and Hair Patterning

The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology published research regarding a connection between testosterone levels and hair patterning. According to the study, high total testosterone contributes to vertex balding and a decrease in chest hair in men. The results of the study were concluded after examining 51 men over 65 years of age. It was also observed that men with more bound testosterone have poor hair density at their chest.

Baldness Treatment

There is no clear cure for baldness, but Alopecia that results from testosterone can be reversed through treatment. Conversion of free testosterone into DHT can be stopped with a drug, Finasteride, available under the name of Propecia. The drug is taken once a day and shows apparent results after a few months. The results don’t stay for longer if the dose is stopped for any reason. This treatment is not safe for women.

Balanced testosterone levels in men helps them cope with many health issues, outward appearance, and internal strength. Consult your physician before starting testosterone therapy to treat hair loss. It’s better to be cautious to avoid any serious side effects.

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