Hairy chest but thinning on top - topless not by choice

Hormone-induced hair loss in men and how to deal with it

Almost one man in two has to deal with hair loss at some point before the second half of their life begins. Nowadays such bare figures increasingly also hide a bare head: a significant proportion of men are now braving going bald.

However, a long path of uncertainty and reservations often stretches out before finally reaching for the razor or scissors – with worries about losing masculinity along with receding hair forming a major part.

Blame testosterone?

Yes and no. As testosterone is the primary element responsible for men’s masculine appearance and sexual development, we tend to directly attribute anything to do with male body hair to this hormone, and are then surprised when we can see a hint of chest hair peeking out of the top of a shirt collar whilst there is a noticeable downturn up on top.

Yes, nearly 95% of male hair loss is down to hormones, but testosterone is only indirectly responsible.

DHT – friend and opponent

A brief detour into biology class: testosterone is found in both men and women (!), although its concentration and mechanism naturally varies considerably between the two sexes. When this hormone is broken down it produces the androgen DHT, a male sex hormone responsible for many processes in the human body.

However, in addition to its positive benefits, this hormone also poses a huge risk for the hair on male heads: many men’s hair follicles – fine channels in the scalp where the roots of the hair are embedded – are hypersensitive to this very DHT.

The consequence of this hypersensitivity is degeneration of the hair follicles. The hair’s growth phase is shortened further and further, making it less and less able to reach its full strength and length. Ultimately, what sprouts out of the hair follicles is so fine and short that it is barely visible, until eventually no hair is produced at all: this is typical androgenetic alopecia (or male-pattern baldness), male hormone-induced hair loss.

DHT blockers

At this stage, one solution to the problem can be to use what are known as “DHT blockers”. As the name suggests, these substances directly intervene in the process of testosterone breakdown and prevent the formation of DHT, and thus any overreaction. DHT blockers can have a chemical or a natural basis and exist in a variety of forms, from shampoos or scalp serums to dietary supplements to prescription drugs.

Can I stroke it?

Whether bald or hairy men are more attractive or generally manlier in the modern world is probably an unanswerable question and is essentially in the eye of the beholder. However, one thing holds equally true whether bald or hairy: it needs to be well groomed!