Does the male pattern baldness gene get 'activated' or is this a myth?

[Woodyy]

Is there some point in life where the male pattern baldness gene suddenly "turns on" or is it simply the fact that some peoples hair is only resistant to a certain amount of DHT and once this limit is reached the hair follicle starts miniaturising? I think this is important because the first one implies that once you've started balding there is only hope of slowing it down whilst the other implies that given the right treatments (if one could lower DHT enough) not only maintenance but regrowth would be possible.

Earlier this year I (foolishly) did a cycle of steroids and lost a bit of hair, I'd had no previous hairloss. I was told by quite a few people that I'd activated the balding gene and it would probably progress from there. Fast forward over 8 months later I've lost no more hair and even regrown some. I'm now under the assumption that my hair simply couldn't handle the massive amounts of DHT in my body whilst I was on cycle but can handle my natural levels.

What do you guys think about the whole gene activation thing?

 

[abcdefg]

You might be asking questions with no good answers. It could be a combination of both and the amount your hair is resistant to DHT might change over time further complicating it all. If you artificially raised your androgen levels and then go back to normal its possible your okay, but no one can say for sure how it all works. Just be glad for what you have I guess.

 

[HLTbuckcheds]

I'm also curious about this. I was going to make my own thread, but alas I'm short a few posts. I've had some very very extensive steroid use over the past 6 years. I started at 19 on TRT due to a severe head injury, but subsequently got into powerlifting and used a whole lot more than TRT as I reached elite levels in the sport. I've been running 1-4 grams/week of androgens with the occasional 6-8 week break at TRT doses for the better part of 4 years. To those who are familiar with steroids, I ran trenbolone for 9 months straight, peaking at doses of over 1 gram per week.

All of that said, I'm constantly complimented on my very thick, luscious mane. No sign of hair loss that I can see, although I did find I had abnormal shedding whilst on particularly harsh cycles which left me unsure.

I've stopped worrying about it the past year or so - I figured that after the ridiculous things I've done to my body, if I'm not showing any signs at this point, I'm probably good to go. I've gone months having the androgenic equivalent of 10+ grams of testosterone in my blood, surely I would've noticed something by now? I feel like if the average person with male pattern baldness genes did what I did for a month or two they'd look like Mr. Clean.

I'd rather not live in a state of blissful ignorance though, so if anyone can chime in with some sound science, please do!

 

[abcdefg]

If your hair isnt sensitive to androgens than it isnt sensitive. There might be guys that can have sky high levels and never lose a hair. Its the poorly understood sensitivity to the androgens that always been critical not the levels of androgens.

 

[christkr]

If your hair isnt sensitive to androgens than it isnt sensitive. There might be guys that can have sky high levels and never lose a hair. Its the poorly understood sensitivity to the androgens that always been critical not the levels of androgens.

But if they are, at some point they will become sensitive to it. Suddenly in june 2013 my follicles decided to do so! Thats very specific... Its obvious that the follicles did get some information at that point. It would be nice to know what actually happend.