Explanation of male pattern hair loss ?

[Seniormido]

Why in most people baldness starts in the front and the temples then goes gradually to the back of the head. Why DHT will attack the front first if all these hairs are sensitive to it ? Is it the skull expansion ?

[Westview]

DHT doesnt always attack the front  hairs first.  Sometimes people just go bald in the crown and not so much in the front.

DHT will attack whichever hairs are most sensitive to DHT.  Thankfully thats usually the top of the head but not the sides or back

[Seniormido]

But in most people it follows a similar progressive pattern

[ciaus]

While we're looking at our hair in terms of appearance its primary function is body temperature regulation, keeping warm. Would be curious to know if male pattern baldness follows blood vessel density patterns on the head.

[TorontoMan]

The answer is just in genetics. Its unexplained to the point where you could point out the exact direction of your loss. You could lose hair all over your head. There are many examples of men who started losing their hair and started at the crown most agressively. Look up Zinedine Zidane.. famous soccer player. 

[Melvin- Admin]

3 minutes ago, TorontoMan said:

The answer is just in genetics. Its unexplained to the point where you could point out the exact direction of your loss. You could lose hair all over your head. There are many examples of men who started losing their hair and started at the crown most agressively. Look up Zinedine Zidane.. famous soccer player. 

Spot on

[ciaus]

Of course its genetics, but the underlying pattern, while it does start in the crown plenty as well, more often it seems to start in the front. And the front is less resilient than the crown, finasteride/minox work better keeping the crown hairs around.

[Seniormido]

Why this pattern  if all these hairs are sensitive DHT which is present in all the scalp ?

[ciaus]

Just to further clarify my question, I know each hair follicle has a genetic programming of DHT sensitivity, but why have we evolved to where on average the hair in the front is usually more sensitive to DHT? -like are there less blood vessels in the frontal areas so not as much of a potential for heat loss, so less of a need for hair?

Edited December 14, 2020 by ciaus

[Seniormido]

I feel the skull growth theory has a role with DHT. Look at your old photos  and see the difference !

[Britanium]

5 minutes ago, Seniormido said:

Why this pattern  if all these hairs are sensitive DHT which is present in all the scalp ?

The temples and the crown are the most sensitive to DHT. This is why they are the first to be affected.

The hair on the sides of the head are the least sensitive. As a result, minimal impact occurs by DHT.

[DenverBuff1989]

does hairloss always start in the front tho? There are plenty of people, many on here even, who were blessed with a strong hairline but an absolute sh*t crown. 

[ciaus]

2 hours ago, DenverBuff1989 said:

does hairloss always start in the front tho? There are plenty of people, many on here even, who were blessed with a strong hairline but an absolute sh*t crown. 

No not always, but for more guys the frontal hairs are genetically more DHT sensitive than the middle and crown areas, and don't respond as well to the meds.

Its interesting to consider the evolutionary origins and patterns of hair loss.

-I think part of the reason we lose the hair and thus become less attractive is why we become less attractive in other ways as we age, like wrinkled skin, etc, and that's to help maintain the fitness of the gene pool and ensure the next generation is cared for, because birth defects are more likely with aging sperm, eggs and older men/women are less likely to be around to raise and protect their kids.

-and the other is for body temperature regulation, to help trap heat. With all the blood vessels around the scalp, maybe its more important that hair around the sides/donor remain to help maintain body temp, and maybe the top areas in the front/mid/crown are not as densely packed with essential blood vessels so the hairs are more expendable, less important that they survived throughout the person's life, so they tend to be less resilient, more genetically susceptible to DHT?  

 

[100Rings]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the muscle tension theory, which presents the most complete and convincing argument for hairloss to date.

 

https://www.hairlosstalk.com/interact/threads/why-the-galea-is-the-fundamental-cause-of-male-pattern-balding-androgens-are-secondary.113256/

This pretty much sums everything up