Is follicle minituarization not required for male pattern baldness?

[rapidfrontal]

This is how I understand the male pattern baldness process:

When a person is going bald, the follicles are in the process of minituarizing on their way to scarring. Doesn't this mean that when a person is shedding, the robust, pigmented hairs that fall out are definitely going to be replaced? If a shed consisted of all thin, colorless hairs, they probably would never be replaced by new hairs because those follicles are clearly in the process of minituarizing and dying out forever. However, if a shed consisted of thick, pigmented, healthy looking hairs, can't it be safely assumed that those folliceles are still producing healthy hairs and therefore will soon produce new growth.

In other words, a person going bald is in a process of minituarization, while a person shedding healthy thick hair will DEFINITELY be regrowing hairs from those follicles even if they are not as healthy as the ones that were shed, so shedding of healthy looking hairs is a sign that they will be back soon. Does anybody agree or disagree with this statement?

 

[Zen2Bald]

I generally agree except that I have heard it postulated that perhaps complete minituarization can take place within one growth cycle for some follicles.

I read this a while ago on alt.baldspot... i can't remember much else though.

 

[hairschmair]

I can't make sense of the assertions stated in your paragraph.

"Doesn't this mean that when a person is shedding, the robust, pigmented hairs that fall out are definitely going to be replaced?"

Sure, but they could be replaced with smaller/thinner/weaker hairs.

"However, if a shed consisted of thick, pigmented, healthy looking hairs, can't it be safely assumed that those folliceles are still producing healthy hairs and therefore will soon produce new growth. "

Same answer as above, how do you know if the new growth will be better hairs?

All hairs will fall for everyone, so I don't think you can conclude anything by just looking at what is falling. Question is whether the hair that is going to replace it is better or not.

Jay