Nothing signals the end of your youth louder than having a receding hairline.
Men have a strange relationship with hair growth. On one end, many of us suffer from male-pattern baldness, while some of us want to have a manly beard, but couldn’t get it to grow. Some guys are waiting for their chest hair to grow, while some have problems getting hair off their back. Some guys have it all – a full head of hair, and a nice full beard, while some men have receding hairlines, but can’t even grow a mustache.
For us to understand these unique hairy mysteries, we need to understand why men are different from women when it comes to hair growth.
For the most part, testosterone is directly involved in hair growth and hair loss. Men have higher levels of testosterone, and this is why men have facial and body hair, and most women do not. Testosterone is naturally converted into dihydrotestosterone through the 5alpha-reductase enzyme, and this androgen is directly responsible for binding to the androgen receptors in the hair follicles. This allows the hair follicles to activate and react to the androgen receptor, resulting in hair growth.
DHT
DHT is also responsible for shrinking hair follicles in the scalp, while it encourages hair growth along the chin and the jawline, all the way down to the neck. This is the reason why men with higher DHT levels are likely to have better beard growth while being more susceptible to androgenic alopecia, or male-pattern baldness.
Testosterone levels are directly proportional to your DHT levels. Hence, the higher your testosterone levels are, the higher your DHT levels will be. That’s why many testosterone supplements and drugs end up having side effects such as baldness and prostate growth since the body converts some of your testosterone into DHT. To remedy this, the top testosterone supplements utilize 5alpha-reductase inhibitors to slow down and minimize the conversion of testosterone into DHT.
Blood flow
There are certain factors about hair growth that DHT is not directly responsible for, such as blood flow and genetics. Although men are basically derived from the same mold, the way our bodies are built sometimes differs. Blood flow affects hair growth as it dictates the delivery of hormones and nutrients that affect hair growth. That’s why the most effective hair growth drug, minoxidil, is a vasodilator that is mostly absorbed in the skin to help improve blood flow in a localized area. This also explains why hair growth is most common in the areas of the body with greater blood flow, such as the scalp, chin, armpits, legs, arms, and groin.
Genetics
Perhaps the most impactful factor that affects hair growth is genetics. Some ethnicities exhibit increased hair growth, while some do not. Caucasians statistically have more hair growth than Africans and Asians. More specific ethnic groups also have specific characteristics that differ from other sub-races. Mediterranean men typically have more facial and body hair growth, while European sub-races typically have more aggressive male-pattern baldness. Asian men have the least facial and body hair, but they also have the fastest-growing hair among the major races.
Why do men have bald spots?
Androgenetic alopecia, or male-pattern baldness, is a common type of hair loss that occurs in middle-aged men. This is the direct result of having high dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels in the body.
DHT is a powerful androgen that influences body hair and facial hair growth. It’s also involved in muscle development and libido. DHT is also directly linked to prostate growth and development. By all accounts, DHT is an important androgen, but too much of it could lead to male-pattern baldness.
Male-pattern baldness starts as a receding hairline, which progresses into an arched line resembling the distinctive M pattern. DHT causes the hair follicles in these areas to die out, which causes the thinning of the scalp and a receding hairline.
Bald spots do not regenerate hair on their own, which is why most men with bald spots just shave their heads off to make the pattern clean and uniform.
What does having a bald spot tell you about your health?
Since androgenetic alopecia and prostate health problems are caused by the same hormone, having a bald spot may indicate that you are at a higher risk for developing benign prostate growth (BPH) or prostate cancer. The key to lowering your risk starts with lowering your DHT levels.
DHT is derived from testosterone. The 5alpha-reductase enzyme converts testosterone into DHT. You need medication or natural supplements that can suppress the enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT. Supplement ingredients, such as Fenugreek, have shown great potential in reducing overall DHT levels.
What can you do about your bald spot?
The most common solution to a bald spot is by applying a hair grower called Minoxidil to the area. Minoxidil is a topical vasodilator that helps improve blood flow in the scalp, which revives the hair follicles. Minoxidil is commonly offered in liquid form, and you can apply it on the parts of your scalp and face where you’d like hair to grow. Hair growth takes about 3-6 months to show results.
You can also take 5alpha-reductase inhibitors to reduce overall DHT levels. Lowering DHT levels will protect the emerging hair follicles and will also help to reduce your risk of prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
You can also take Male UltraCore, a premium male enhancement supplement that contains Fenugreek and L-Arginine. Although Male UltraCore isn’t exactly a supplement that is intended for hair growth, its main ingredients can help greatly in improving hair growth, especially for men with male-pattern baldness.
