Oh, no! You're turning into your dad!
Remember the bald jokes you made at the expense of the “old man” when you were a teen? Now you’re looking in the mirror cursing your bad genes. How cruel is fate, right? But maybe you can still have the last laugh. Hair loss and hormones are closely related. We may not only be able to prevent your hair loss, but in some cases, we can actually reverse it.
What Causes Hair Loss? Hair Loss and Hormones
Hair loss in men and hormones are closely related. High levels of testosterone resulting from stress and poor diet can impact the body’s ability to regenerate hair follicles. The relationship between testosterone and hair loss is due to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a derivative of testosterone. DHT causes some hair follicles to regress and die, resulting in the hair loss. Specifically, DHT shortens the growth cycle of your hair and increases the resting cycle. So, over time, hair in these locations grows less and becomes shorter until it simply does not grow anymore. Genes can make certain hair follicles (usually in the front and crown of the head) especially sensitive to this hormone. Furthermore, excess levels of testosterone often result in higher levels of the DHT and hence the greater likelihood of hair loss or baldness. DHT is also partly responsible for adolescent and adult acne in men and for prostate enlargement in older men.
High and constant levels of stress cause the adrenal glands to become overactive due to the increased need for the stress hormone, cortisol. When the male body is stressed, it also produces additional testosterone and adrenaline. Additional testosterone means more DHT which in turn, can cause men's hair loss. Foods high in fat and red meat can also result in an overactive adrenal gland.
The Solution: Hair Loss Treatment
The connection between hormones and hair loss is definitive. The state-of-the-art tests used by BodyLogicMD physicians test your testosterone, DHT, thyroid hormones, and cortisol to help you determine if your hair loss is hormonal or genetic. If hormone and/or nutritional levels are imbalanced, natural bioidentical hormone replacement therapy paired with a customized nutrition, fitness and supplement program can bring the levels back to optimal balance and can be an effective mens hair loss treatment.
While you cannot fight your genes, you can fight the effects of aging and hormonal imbalance. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy with BodyLogicMD physicians has the possibility to not only stop or prevent hair loss but also may help you re-grow the hair you have already lost.
