Are there TWO types of DHT??

[JamesB]

Hi all,

I was wondering if somebody could clear this up for me. I think I read on this site somewhere that there are two types of DHT. The type that you attack via pills (Propecia etc) and another type that can be attacked via solutions directly onto the scalp. have I got this all screwed up, or is it that there are just two ways of attacked the DHT topically and with pills. I was under the impression most of the solutions you put on your head don't do much at all. Can somebody help me out, I'm fairly new to this.

Cheers
James

 

[Guest]

Hi all,

I was wondering if somebody could clear this up for me. I think I read on this site somewhere that there are two types of DHT. The type that you attack via pills (Propecia etc) and another type that can be attacked via solutions directly onto the scalp. have I got this all screwed up, or is it that there are just two ways of attacked the DHT topically and with pills. I was under the impression most of the solutions you put on your head don't do much at all. Can somebody help me out, I'm fairly new to this.

Cheers
James

"Recent research indicates that the DHT that harms hair follicles comes from the the skin's sebocytes and sweat glands (sebaceous glands). (Chen et al 1996) 5 alpha-Reductase, the enzyme system that converts testosterone into DHT occurs in two enzyme forms. The type 1 represents the 'cutaneous type'; it is located primarily in the skin's sebocytes but also in epidermal and follicular keratinocytes, dermal papilla cells and sweat glands as well as in fibroblasts. The type 2 is located mainly in the seminal vesicles, prostate and in the inner root sheath of the hair follicle.

Propecia® (Finasteride), which has a higher affinity for the type 2 form, is best suited for for controlling prostate enlargement. It also must be administered by pills that spread the drug throughout the body. "

 

[Bryan]

I was wondering if somebody could clear this up for me. I think I read on this site somewhere that there are two types of DHT. The type that you attack via pills (Propecia etc) and another type that can be attacked via solutions directly onto the scalp.

As far as I know, there's only one type of DHT. However, there are two different forms of the 5a-reductase enzyme which converts testosterone to DHT. The type 2 enzyme (which is inhibited by finasteride) seems to be more strongly associated with balding. Both enzymes seem to be isolated in specific locations in the skin/scalp and hair follicles.

In my opinion, either one of those enzymes in the skin/scalp/follicles can be attacked by either oral drugs (finasteride, dutasteride) or topical drugs, although the topical approach hasn't been tested very much. I'd like to see a LOT more research into topical 5a-reductase inhibitors.

Bryan

 

[WiseJoeyD]

Does DHT (Type 1 or Type 2) affect the frontal hairline in the same way?

Since this tends to be the most cosmetically noticeable area, I was wondering if this area is similarly affected by the same mechanism (5 AR type 2 DHT)that causes vertex balding.

If so, would, and has this in anyone, responded to treatment from Propecia?

 

[Jack_the_Lad]

DHT and enzymes

There is only one type of DHT, the enzyme 5AR 1 is responsible for 1/3 of circulating DHT and enzyme 5AR 2 is responsible for the other 2/3 of the DHT production. DHT from 5AR1 and 5AR2 affects different areas of the body, bruces post above should explain that.