Testosterone Therapy And Hair Loss

With the number of men using testosterone therapy on the rise, there are many lively debates online as to whether using testosterone treatment as a 'fountain of youth' may have negative side effects in the form of hair loss. Popularised as a way of counteracting the loss of muscle mass, sex drive and energy experienced as men age (the term andropause is being used, alluding to these conditions being a sort of male menopause) testosterone therapy is a relatively new lifestyle trend, though it has been used for medical reasons for many years.

According to market research by IMS Health, in America $1.6 billion was spent on prescription testosterone therapies in 2011, almost triple the amount spent in 2006.

What We Know

Some people have argued that the increase in testosterone directly contributes to male pattern hair loss due to the fact that, when it combines with enzyme 5-alpha reductase to make DHT, it affects genetically predisposed hair follicles on the scalp. Weaker hairs are produced, and, if untreated, eventually no hairs at all. However, it does not follow that more testosterone means more DHT and more hair loss.

There have been no conclusive clinical studies on the link between beginning testosterone treatment and hair loss, however many forum users have posted anecdotal evidence about noticing significant hair loss after beginning the treatment. Firstly, this could be short term hair loss due to the shock to your body from beginning the treatment. Though marketed as a lifestyle supplement rather than a medication, the fact is that the prescription only treatment could cause hairs to enter the resting stage of their cycle sooner than usual, due to how sensitive hair is to internal changes.

Rumour Has It

If the hair loss is indeed alopecia areata, providing that the body becomes accustomed to the treatment hair should regrow after a few months. However, if the onset of male pattern baldness has begun, this form of hair loss will continue unless treated.  As we age, we are statistically more and more likely to experience hair loss if we are genetically predisposed, so it is likely that for some men, their use of the hormone treatment coincided with the start of their male pattern balding and the two are not actually linked.

Rumours online abound, from sites claiming that higher testosterone levels in the blood coincide with less vertex balding, from men convinced that their hair loss occurred as soon as they began testosterone therapy.

At The Belgravia Centre, we would advise anyone to think seriously about testosterone treatment before beginning it if there is no medical necessity. Should a patient notice hair loss, a free check up with us can determine the probable type, and if it is male pattern balding, we offer a hair loss treatment approach tailored to your needs, which can help to halt the rate of hair loss and potentially regrow hair. We also await with interest any conclusive evidence of testosterone therapy affecting hair loss.