😱 “Am I losing my hair?” 😱
If given enough time, we all eventually experience hair loss — at least that’s my take on it.
In this post, I review the basics of the most common type of hair loss in men: androgenetic alopecia.
A Quick Aside For Some Sports Talk
It’s September in the good ol’ USA, so let’s talk American Football.
🏈 Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season concluded last night with a wild one.
🤕 The New York Jets’ much anticipated new QB and former Packers icon Aaron Rodgers went down after four snaps with what I immediately feared was a season ending achilles injury. Footage of his left calf muscles reverberating at the moment of the injury likely confirms this, but we still don’t know for sure.
📞 Have we seen the last of Aaron Rodgers? If so, what a shame given how dynamic the rest of that Jets team looked. You can bet the Jets front office was on the phone with Tom Brady’s people last night.
Alas, time to get back in my lane.
It’s still September, though, and that means it’s still Alopecia Awareness Month.
Remember, alopecia is simply the medical term for any type of hair loss. It does not refer to a specific type of hair loss.
Last week, I discussed the different types of hair loss people can experience.
This week, it’s all about androgenetic alopecia, or what most of us know as “pattern hair loss” or “balding.”
👱♂️ This common and typically gradual type of hair loss happens regardless of sex or gender, but I’m focusing on men today.
Back to football for a second — my Super Bowl LII Champion Philadelphia Eagles (Go Birds! 🦅) survived a rough opener in Foxborough despite it being Tom Brady Day.
If you saw Mr. Brady in the box or on the field during the half time ceremony, you likely noticed a full head of thick hair (not to mention that jawline and cheekbones — come on, man!).
It wasn’t always that way, at least with respect to his hair. He’s famously sported quite a few different hairstyles over the years, and there has long been speculation that he underwent hair restoration surgery (hair transplant), most likely in the mid 2000s, due to relatively early onset hair loss.
If true, good for him! He enjoys fantastic results to this day, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he also takes medication to slow/prevent hair loss. Take a look at the photos and video and see for yourself.
Androgenetic Alopecia Explained
Dermatologists call this type of hair loss/thinning androgenetic alopecia. You know it when you see it — thinning that starts at the vertex and temporal scalp and spreads from there, sparing the sides and back of the scalp.
The two images above, courtesy of DermNet, show the typical pattern and progression of androgenetic alopecia in men.
Let’s break it down.
Andro = androgens. This refers to the typically “male” sex hormones, but everyone has them. Testosterone gets converted to DHT by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. In men, hairs on front and top of the head don’t like DHT, which causes gradual “miniaturization” of the hairs until they are no longer visible. The hairs on the back and sides (think Larry David) are not sensitive to DHT. This critical distinction makes hair transplantation a viable option.
Genetic = genes, what you inherit from your family. Genetic factors influence the onset and severity of this disease, but it’s a myth that only your mother’s side is to blame, so cut them some slack.
💊 I’m not discussing treatments for androgenetic alopecia in this post (stay tuned), but I want you to know they are available, and time is of the essence.
⏳ The earlier this type of hair loss is diagnosed, the better your chances are for keeping the hair you already have rather than needing to consider a procedure like a hair transplant.
💇♂️ If your stylist (or partner or friend) notices some hair loss/thinning and tells you, be a man, say thank you for your concern, express gratitude for the information, and consider seeing a dermatologist to discuss it.
Men — I want to hear from you.
Do you struggle with androgenetic alopecia? What has been the most difficult part? What has worked particularly well for you?
Let us know in the comments.
