Male balding: Why You Have A Full Beard But A Thin Scalp

Male balding in medical terms is called Male Pattern Hair Loss, or Androgenetic Alopecia.It is a common condition, accounting for > 95% hair loss in men, and affecting up to 50% of men generally.

Why? Male balding is primarily hormonal. Hair follicles on the scalp of a man (who is genetically predisposed), begin to shrink in response to a circulating derivative of testosterone hormone (called dihydrotestosterone or DHT), and gradually stop producing hair.

DHT is actually stronger than testosterone and is responsible for “Male” behaviour.

What is the link with my beard? Very interestingly, beards need this same hormone DHT to develop! So while a high circulating level of DHT is necessary for a fuller beard, this same high circulating level is also responsible for a balding head.

[Tweet “It is a progressive condition, meaning the process is ongoing.”]

Who gets it? Male pattern balding has very strong genetic association. This means that if there is MPB in your family (father, uncles, grandfather) and even on the female side, you have a high chance of developing this same condition.

How? Male balding typically presents in your 30s as slow thinning of hair on the crown of the head and a receding hair line.

It is a progressive condition, meaning the process is ongoing.

Treatment options? Medicine is advancing greatly in this area, such that it is now possible to slow down and in some cases stop this process.

Successful treatment of male pattern balding depends on early intervention. There are available prescription medicines to counter the effects of these hormones, topical biologically active products in the forms of prescription shampoos and serums, and of course follicle stimulating scalp treatments such as scalp Microneedling and Mesotherapy to encourage regrowth of hair, some involving the use of PRP (platelet rich plasma) from your own blood.

Hair transplantation is also gaining more popularity in more permanent treatments of hair pattern loss.

Speak to your Doctor about options and a route most convenient for you.

Written by Dr Uju

You can connect to Dr Uju by clicking HERE