Cause of Androgenic Alopecia
October 2013
in “
Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open
”
TLDR Male pattern baldness may be caused by scalp pressure on hair follicles, which increases with age and leads to a cycle of hair loss. This process is not directly determined by genes.
In 2013, Dr. Emin Tuncay Ustuner proposed a theory for the cause of Androgenic Alopecia (AGA), or male pattern baldness, suggesting that the pressure exerted on hair follicles by the weight of the scalp leads to hair loss. As individuals age, the thickness of the subcutaneous fat tissue and the volume of the dermis decrease, increasing the pressure on hair follicles. This pressure increase necessitates more androgen to stimulate hair growth, leading to an increase in 5-alpha reductase enzyme activity, which converts testosterone to Dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The increase in DHT then further erodes the subcutaneous fat tissue around the hair follicle, creating a cycle of hair loss. The document also noted that while genetic factors are involved in AGA, no specific gene has been identified, and the increase in DHT is not directly determined by genes.
