Hair Loss Related to Testosterone Therapy and Supplements

Currently in the United States more than 50 million men and women are affected by some type of hair loss. One of the most distressing forms of hair loss is Male Pattern hair loss which is genetically predetermined. In a genetically prone man, the presence of hormone Dihydrotestosterone(DHT) is necessary for hereditary male pattern baldness to occur. With the surge of using testosterone supplements in recent years, there has been concerns about increased hair loss related to testosterone.

Testosterone therapy helps alleviate low testosterone and hypogonadism. Although Terstosterone levels naturally decline as men age, supplementing the loss alleviates the natural effect of the aging process. Even though testosterone may help aging, there seems to be evidence that there may be a link between testosterone use and increased Androgenic Alopecia or genetic related hair loss in men. Hair in different locations of the body react differently to Testosterone. It may improve facial hair but hair in the scalp starts to fall off.

For hair loss to happen in genetically prone individual naturally, testosterone is converted into DHT which binds to receptors in the scalp follicles and cause a shrinkage of the roots. Eventually over time, the hairs in the scalp become finer and thinner until the follicles become dormant and lead to hair loss. If your receptors are particularly sensitive due to genetic predisposition, they are more easily triggered by even small amounts of DHT, and hair loss occurs more easily as a result.

There are some medications such as Minoxidil and Steriod injection which can help with this type of hair loss. Finasteride is a medication that effects testosterone; it is designed to inhibit the conversion of Testosterone into DHT which may help with testosterone related hair loss. Another treatment option is PRP or Platelet Rich Plasma. PRP is a concentration derived from clients' own blood, it has growth factors that stimulate hair growth when injected into the scalp. Once in the scalp, PRP growth factors begin to degrade quickly so any benefit to thinning hair will be short lived. All of these options should be discussed with a medical professional before usage.

Dr. Mike Meshkin, a hair transplant specialist based in Los Angeles and Orange County offers many advises to his clients to start hair loss prevention when they notice thinning at the initial stages. It is important to keep hair healthy by using the right medication and hair care products. Before starting on any Testosterone therapy supplements all the side effects are discussed and proper care is recommended.

To find out more about your hair loss, visit one of Dr. Meshkin's hair transplant and hair restoration clinics in Los Angeles or in Irvine locations. Dr. Meshkin will use the latest techniques to find out the cause of your hair loss and give the best hair restoration recommendations customized to your needs and concerns.

If you have questions about hair loss, feel free to contact our friendly Meshkin Medical staff. For appointments please call 800-246-8424 or 949-219-0027. We have offices in Beverly Hills, Encino, Orange County, and Glendale. Click here to view our Office Contact information.