Calf Baldness - anyone else get this?

[fatelephant]

Little known fact ... male pattern baldness effects your calves as well as your head. Not in everyone, some people get one or the other. Some get neither. I got both.

Anyone else have this?

Unfortunately the image upload feature doesn't work for me, so I just have to post links. After reading the MSM thread, I'm having a crack at that. I will be interesting to see if makes any difference on my calves. Not that I care one jot about having hairy legs. But just for reference:

back-calf hosted at ImgBB

Image back-calf hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

front-calf hosted at ImgBB

Image front-calf hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

 

[Jpw1999]

I thought a lot of guys with male pattern baldness are really hairy because of high DHT rather than losing body hair

 

[fatelephant]

I thought a lot of guys with male pattern baldness are really hairy because of high DHT rather than losing body hair

I didn't mean to imply that bald calves were the cause of male pattern baldness.

What I was saying is that male pattern baldness occurs both on the head and the calves.

 

[whatevr]

Ye, mine are completely hairless on the back with only some sparse hair on the front.

 

[Ljpviper]

Mine too but it’s age related I believe. After 45 started loosing all the hair on my calves and lower leg

 

[Lumalux]

I don't think it's related at all to male pattern baldness. I have zero male pattern baldness at 56 but I experienced the calf hair thinning probably starting sometime in my 40s. I hate it. I had really hairy legs in my younger years and loved how they looked. I now have typical old man legs, with fairly hairy thighs and knees, but it disappears on the backside of my legs and is thin on my shins. It picks up again right above my feet. It's not related to socks because I rarely wear them.

Applying topical to my legs for one year did nothing to bring it back. Oral Minoxidil and dermarolling has not worked either, though it's making hair grow elsewhere. I have concluded that the leg hair issue is either low T, thyroid, or related to circulation. I plan to talk to an endocrinologist to see if we can determine the cause.

I would give absolutely anything to have really hairy legs.

 

[fatelephant]

I don't think it's related at all to male pattern baldness. I have zero male pattern baldness at 56 but I experienced the calf hair thinning probably starting sometime in my 40s. I hate it. I had really hairy legs in my younger years and loved how they looked. I now have typical old man legs, with fairly hairy thighs and knees, but it disappears on the backside of my legs and is thin on my shins. It picks up again right above my feet. It's not related to socks because I rarely wear them.

Applying topical to my legs for one year did nothing to bring it back. Oral Minoxidil and dermarolling has not worked either, though it's making hair grow elsewhere. I have concluded that the leg hair issue is either low T, thyroid, or related to circulation. I plan to talk to an endocrinologist to see if we can determine the cause.

I would give absolutely anything to have really hairy legs.

I'm pretty sure it's a scientific fact that it is male pattern baldness. It's just not on the head.

Anterolateral Leg Alopecia: Common but Commonly Ignored

A middle-aged man presented with anterolateral leg alopecia which is a very common but under-recognized hair loss condition.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[Lumalux]

I'm pretty sure it's a scientific fact that it is male pattern baldness. It's just not on the head.

Anterolateral Leg Alopecia: Common but Commonly Ignored

A middle-aged man presented with anterolateral leg alopecia which is a very common but under-recognized hair loss condition.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Could be. So what is the best approach to reversing it? Any hope at all? I'm desperate.

 

[Catagen]

I thought a lot of guys with male pattern baldness are really hairy because of high DHT rather than losing body ha

I know a guy who has a completely hairless body, but has a normal beard and eyebrows, but he was NW4 at 19. There are probably many examples of guys being NW5+ at 20 and having a non existent beard.
But the norm is that most young men have no hair loss and they have good beards. So therefore most men with great beards and thick body hair are NW1/2. Maybe 3, but not full blown bald top.
It is about local sensitivity to DHT, not "high DHT".
Interestingly enough when men take testosterone their facial hair doesnt get thicker or better usually since it is already exposed to lots of T throughout their lives, so it is clear that sparse hair is not due to T but simply hair follicle genetics.
For example when women take T they will usually get a massive difference in the beard since they were never exposed to such amounts of T before.
It is similar to going through puberty.
Now some trans men end up with neckbeards or very sparse facial hair despite high T levels. It is for the same reason some men have sh*t beards and body hair and they still go bald, genetics.
But you give anyone minoxidil and their beard explodes if they are a good minoxidil responder, because min is non hormonal and works on different genetic pathways.

I blame Italians and Semites for spreading this body hair myth. Semites are very hairy, bot their men and women(they are in scalp and eyebrows hairy). So since Italians and Semites have their fair share of young balders, since they are Italians they are also hairy, but its not because they have high DHT or some sh*t.

 

[fatelephant]

Could be. So what is the best approach to reversing it? Any hope at all? I'm desperate.

Mate I dunno ... if you really want hairy legs I reckon rubbing minoxidil on them and possibly taking high doses of MSM (see that thread) would work.

Guys use minoxidil to grow their beards. So why not? Why do you want hairy legs so much anyway? lol.

 

[fashy]

In my observable experience, the hairier a young kid is (ages 15+), the more likely that he will start balding at some point in the future. Certainly was the case with me and a few of my friends.

 

[fatelephant]

I know a guy who has a completely hairless body, but has a normal beard and eyebrows, but he was NW4 at 19. There are probably many examples of guys being NW5+ at 20 and having a non existent beard.
But the norm is that most young men have no hair loss and they have good beards. So therefore most men with great beards and thick body hair are NW1/2. Maybe 3, but not full blown bald top.
It is about local sensitivity to DHT, not "high DHT".
Interestingly enough when men take testosterone their facial hair doesnt get thicker or better usually since it is already exposed to lots of T throughout their lives, so it is clear that sparse hair is not due to T but simply hair follicle genetics.
For example when women take T they will usually get a massive difference in the beard since they were never exposed to such amounts of T before.
It is similar to going through puberty.
Now some trans men end up with neckbeards or very sparse facial hair despite high T levels. It is for the same reason some men have sh*t beards and body hair and they still go bald, genetics.
But you give anyone minoxidil and their beard explodes if they are a good minoxidil responder, because min is non hormonal and works on different genetic pathways.

I blame Italians and Semites for spreading this body hair myth. Semites are very hairy, bot their men and women(they are in scalp and eyebrows hairy). So since Italians and Semites have their fair share of young balders, since they are Italians they are also hairy, but its not because they have high DHT or some sh*t.

You can always find exceptions but I think it's pretty well established that testosterone is heavily involved with both excess body hair growth and baldness. Bodybuilders that take steroids (mostly that is just injectable testosterone) get hairier and balder.

For whatever it's worth, I have a beard like a mammoth. I've had multiple barbers comment it's the thickest beard they've ever seen. Seriously I've pulled hairs out of my beard that are like copper wires. It's insane. And I'm bald. And I have a deep voice. And I have body hair (although not a ridiculous amount - a hairy chest and some thin, light hair over my shoulders and back) ... and my calves are bald. lol.

 

[Lumalux]

Mate I dunno ... if you really want hairy legs I reckon rubbing minoxidil on them and possibly taking high doses of MSM (see that thread) would work.

Guys use minoxidil to grow their beards. So why not? Why do you want hairy legs so much anyway? lol.

I tried the topical and it did not seem to work on the calves.

I'm just insecure about the bald thing. Exact same insecurity you guys have about your heads except mine is with my legs. I just think it looks healthy and sexy. I think it's very masculine and a sign of virility. Never understood why any man would want to shave his body.

 

[Catagen]

You can always find exceptions but I think it's pretty well established that testosterone is heavily involved with both excess body hair growth and baldness. Bodybuilders that take steroids (mostly that is just injectable testosterone) get hairier and balder.

For whatever it's worth, I have a beard like a mammoth. I've had multiple barbers comment it's the thickest beard they've ever seen. Seriously I've pulled hairs out of my beard that are like copper wires. It's insane. And I'm bald. And I have a deep voice. And I have body hair (although not a ridiculous amount - a hairy chest and some thin, light hair over my shoulders and back) ... and my calves are bald. lol.

Also what is your source of your calf thing, where did you read that?

 

[fatelephant]

Also what is your source of your calf thing, where did you read that?

Oh I dunno where I first heard it. There's a link up on the 7th post in the thread ... but just Google it.

Here's another one:

Why do men lose hair on their shins?

Not only can hair loss happen for a number of different reasons but it can also happen in a number of different areas of the body. Most people will always think about hair loss on the scalp. Today, we’re explaining why men might be facing hair loss on their shins. Hair loss on legs For…

www.hshairclinic.co.uk

 

[gerard3948]

Is this loss due to friction from some kind of habit - something you are wearing or resting your leg on? I have permanent friction loss of hair right where my socks start - has a "plucked chicken" appearance similar to yours.

 

[fatelephant]

Is this loss due to friction from some kind of habit - something you are wearing or resting your leg on? I have permanent friction loss of hair right where my socks start - has a "plucked chicken" appearance similar to yours.

No, it's due to male pattern baldness. It's a well known condition and is exactly the same as baldness on your head. It just occurs on your calves so most people barely notice or care.

 

[Lumalux]

No, it's due to male pattern baldness. It's a well known condition and is exactly the same as baldness on your head. It just occurs on your calves so most people barely notice or care.

Agreed. It looks like it's due to sock friction but it's not. Definitely due to hormonal cause or something like it. Very frustrating. My thighs and knees are really hairy and then it just thins out the further down you go. If anyone has the solution, please share.

 

[DoctorHouse]

I have the same issue and my dermatologist said it was a form of alopecia areata and said it should come back to normal but it never did. Just curious if you guys have a job where you do alot of standing? I know most of it is age related because I notice some middle age men get it. Do any of you guys have spider veins as well?

 

[Lumalux]

I have a corporate job where I sit at a desk all day. I have not worn dress socks (basically no socks at all) since March 2020 and there is no difference. It has not come back. If I had to guess, I would say it is either circulation or thyroid. The fact that I have good hair coverage in other areas (arms, chest, thighs) tells me the T/DHT levels are good, that there is something else going on.