Male Pattern Baldness: The Main Cause and Other Triggering Factors

Androgenic alopecia, which is commonly referred to pattern baldness, is the most widespread type of hair loss that affects millions of men worldwide.

At the early age of 20, most males will begin to observe a receding hairline. This early sign of hair loss is usually genetic, meaning it is pre-determined and passed on from generations to another—either on the father’s or mother’s side of the family.

However, at times, male pattern baldness may be due to other factors like malnutrition, bad habits, medications, underlying medical conditions as well as diseases.

The Main Cause of MPB

Male pattern baldness (MPB), is a type of hair loss that normally develops progressively. It involves the appearance of a bald spot on the crown area of the head, which is usually accompanied with a receding hairline at the temples.

Studies showed that an estimated 50 percent of men suffer from MPB at some point in their lives.

The main reason behind this hair loss condition is a genetically inherited sensitivity to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a body metabolite, which is a byproduct of the male hormone testosterone and enzyme 5-alpha reductase.

DHT is said to be the culprit of 90 percent of hair loss cases in both men and women. When this hormone builds-up in the scalp, it deteriorates the hair bulbs; hence, making the hair follicles miniaturize, inducing its dormancy or, worse, death.