DHT has been the buzzword for quite some time in the hair industry, being considered one of the main causes of hair loss.
(Or should I say ‘short for Buzz’ actually, because it actually means ‘Dihydrotestosterone’, but it’s an important word to repeat, so I’m sticking with DHT). DHT is produced when the hormone testosterone comes into contact with a particular enzyme that is present in everyone’s skin and scalp (women also produce testosterone in their bodies, but at much lower levels than men). It is a fact that some people, mostly men, are genetically predisposed to produce DHT to varying degrees during and after puberty.
DHT, if left untreated, literally suffocates the hair follicle, confusing the follicle into thinking that it is getting the necessary amount of nutrients to build thick, healthy hair. When in reality, you are slowly starving and in each subsequent growth phase the follicle gradually produces thinner and weaker hair. In addition, the resulting space in the follicle is occupied by a hard fatty sebum, which in turn makes it increasingly difficult to produce hair.
The follicle will enter the “telogen” or resting phase and, if left untreated for a long time, it will die and no amount of treatment will cause hair to grow back. That is why I believe that prevention is better than cure and at the FIRST SIGNS of hair loss, appropriate measures should be taken immediately.
Keep in mind that even if you have suffered substantial hair loss due to DHT, it is still worth undergoing treatment, because you may have a large number of follicles stuck in the resting phase.
It can also thicken and strengthen your remaining hair to allow for a successful hair transplant, if necessary.
When hair loss is due to DHT it usually takes the form of what is known as ‘Male Pattern Baldness’, this is where the hairline recedes at the temples and then the loss is noticed at the crown. This is because these areas have a large number of sweat glands that carry DHT. For many men, it stops there and they are left with varying degrees of a receding hairline at the temples and a bald spot at the crown. In some, however, the hair loss continues and strips the entire upper part of the scalp, leaving a horseshoe-shaped hairline around the sides and back of the head. In women affected by DHT hair loss, thinning is more of a general phenomenon, “ all over the place. ” It is not as obvious to detect as in a man, because the hairline remains intact and there is a general thinning that works its way from front to back or back to front.
However, there is reason for optimism, in the form of specialized deep cleansing shampoos and conditioners that will remove the sebum that clogs the follicle and penetrate deeply, stimulating it to come back to life and allowing you to feed on vital nutrients. necessary to produce thick, healthy and shiny hair.