DHT blood test - meaningful at all?

[Mandar kumthekar]

DHT is a paracrine hormone which means it is made and acts in the same tissue (mostly). So testosterone is converted in the prostate to DHT and DHT acts directly on this tissue unlike say testosterone and estrogen which are made in a couple of places but act EVERYWHERE.

Same with the scalp and, more importantly related to hair loss, the follicle itself. Blood levels of DHT may correlate that you have lower levels overall but does not mean that the certain areas in question (prostate, hair) do not have disordered DHT production or disordered reactions to androgens.

It is not really the best thing in the world to take an oral 5AR Inhibitor for hair loss, but it is the most effective thing at this time. Optimally a good topical will be best which targets the follicle itself and leaves everything else alone.

Topical anti androgens are not shown to be highly effective so far. May be they do not penetrate or may be the delivery system is not effective.
Problem lies in much deeper level. Inflammation, fibrosis,calcification are all work to make one bald. But the kick starter is DHT sensitivity. DHT sensitivity is most likely a probable cause not androgen amount itself.
It is fact that Balding scalp generally has more androgen receptors and 3 times more DHT levels than non balding scalp. The question is why AR receptor density and dht increases in balding scalp?
More AR receptors+ more DHT+ upregulated AR gene= baldness.
Don't waste your money for the test instead get your scalp biopsy done.

 

[Retinoid]

Topical anti androgens are not shown to be highly effective so far. May be they do not penetrate or may be the delivery system is not effective.
Problem lies in much deeper level. Inflammation, fibrosis,calcification are all work to make one bald. But the kick starter is DHT sensitivity. DHT sensitivity is most likely a probable cause not androgen amount itself.
It is fact that Balding scalp generally has more androgen receptors and 3 times more DHT levels than non balding scalp. The question is why AR receptor density and dht increases in balding scalp?
More AR receptors+ more DHT+ upregulated AR gene= baldness.
Don't waste your money for the test instead get your scalp biopsy done.

There is obviously an increased sensitivity but the why is not obvious. Topical AAs work (topical cyprotene for example) but it is too dangerous to use for men. That I'd why hopefully Breezula will come out soon.

 

[abcdefg]

male pattern baldness is exactly like allergies. Some men can breath in high pollen counts, and their body doesnt care. Other men do as well, but at a certain age for some magic reason your body starts really hating allergens in the air. All the sudden you get allergies to things you were breathing for years.
male pattern baldness you always had androgens, and for some magic reason your hair starts hating DHT all of a sudden (WHY?). Your immune system starts attacking hair, and all the other things like calcification and so on come into play. Why does hair suddenly start caring about androgens you had your entire life? Is it just the sudden change as you hit puberty and they go much higher triggers something? We dont know
So we are stuck with the dangerous and very broad approach of kill all DHT when we really know its much deeper than DHT itself.

 

[realself]

In my mind it would appear to come down to how sensitive your follicles are to DHT and of course how much DHT you have at the follicular level.

People like you and I with low serum DHT (not sure if it's low also at follicular level to be fair), most likely have follicles of which very sensitive to DHT.

I've been on finasteride almost 3 years now, and have maintained. No regrowth however. And so like others always say, don't hesitate if you are balding get on it as soon as possible as you may not replace any lost hair. I mulled over taking finasteride for a year due to the crazy side effects scares. I now regret that time spent and hair lost.

I hear you, in the same boat myself (mulling over taking finasteride). What I decided to do is wait another week or so and then do another lab/test. If my DHT levels are still low, I am really concerned with finasteride lowering even more, potentially killing all DHT in my body. finasteride may help with hair loss but there may be other unwanted side effects if no dht left at all.