Can Low Testosterone Cause Hair Loss?
The answer to the question
can low testosterone cause hair loss is one that many people wish was a definitive yes because then hair regrowth would be as simple as increasing testosterone levels. Unfortunately, the answer is not that easy to explain.
Hair thinning and balding can be linked to any number of different causes, including hormone production. Most likely, if one or both of your parents had family issues with thinning hair, male pattern balding, premature graying, or other such hair problems, you will be at a higher propensity for the same challenges. Of course, they may have also been dealing with a hormonal imbalance that went undiagnosed.
We will try to provide some insight into this subject by answering the questions below:
When male hair loss is linked to low testosterone, it is likely caused by an increase in dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Hair follicles in the skin convert testosterone into DHT, and since the body needs only a small amount of DHT, excessive conversion which also lowers testosterone levels can lead to hair loss.
- Can low testosterone cause hair loss in females?
Since women may undergo the same issue with DHT conversion as men, the answer is yes, decreased testosterone in females can cause hair loss. In fact, thinning hair is often a sign of Low T in women.
How Testosterone Influences Hair Growth
The questions in this section will focus on how testosterone influences hair growth:
- Can low testosterone cause body hair loss and slower growth?
Just as the hair on the head may be affected by too much DHT when
testosterone levels are low, hair on the body may also become sparse. Can low testosterone cause facial hair loss, too? Yes, many men notice that their beards do not grow in as thick, and as they age, they may not need to shave as often. Hair growth may slow down, as well.
- Does high or low testosterone cause hair loss to become irreversible? One thing to know about hormone levels is that correcting an imbalance can reverse most symptoms, including hair loss and thinning. Higher levels of testosterone may lead to the growth of hair in places that are often viewed as undesirable. Low T can also lead to hair growth in the ears or other areas of the face and body. Each person will react uniquely in this way.
Testosterone Therapy and the Hair
The reversal of
Low T symptoms such as hair loss or thinning is possible through the use of testosterone replacement therapy. In what way does low testosterone cause hair loss in males that can be reversed? When you prevent or reduce the DHT conversion process and increase the level of free testosterone available for the body to use, you allow hair growth to proceed naturally.
What you do not want to use for a person experiencing a high level of DHT conversion is a topical form of testosterone such as a skin patch or gel. With this great an amount of testosterone penetrating through the skin, you increase the production of DHT. The low dose testosterone cream prescribed to women does not carry this risk, nor do the
testosterone cypionate injections provided to men.
To find out more about how low testosterone may be affecting your hair growth, or to ask any questions about hormone deficiency and treatment, please contact Kingsberg Medical for a confidential consultation at no charge.
Brian Leeber
