Questions.

[decro435]

Q.1 Apart from regulating your DHT levels, is there any other way to slow/prevent Androgenetic Alopecia?

Q.2 Is there any other Hormones that we know actually promote Androgenetic Alopecia, we know that the androgen DHT is the key to the Androgenetic Alopecia process, but do other Hormones like Estrogen play a role?

Q.3 What is it about the hair follicle that make it sensitive to hormones?

Q.4 When using spironolactone cream, does it just effect the scalp or is it systemically absorbed?

 

[ClayShaw]

Q.1 Apart from regulating your DHT levels, is there any other way to slow/prevent Androgenetic Alopecia?

Q.2 Is there any other Hormones that we know actually promote Androgenetic Alopecia, we know that the androgen DHT is the key to the Androgenetic Alopecia process, but do other Hormones like Estrogen play a role?

Q.3 What is it about the hair follicle that make it sensitive to hormones?

My understanding is that its not the follicle itself, but androgen receptors in the scalp that make the follicle sensitive to DHT. I think that you've asked the million (Billion) dollar question here, and the answer is the cure for baldness.

Q.4 When using spironolactone cream, does it just effect the scalp or is it systemically absorbed?

 

[Bryan]

Q.1 Apart from regulating your DHT levels, is there any other way to slow/prevent Androgenetic Alopecia?

Sure. Topical antiandrogens would be another obvious alternative.

Q.2 Is there any other Hormones that we know actually promote Androgenetic Alopecia, we know that the androgen DHT is the key to the Androgenetic Alopecia process, but do other Hormones like Estrogen play a role?

Estrogen appears to stimulate the growth of scalp hair follicles.

Q.3 What is it about the hair follicle that make it sensitive to hormones?

You mean sensitive to sex hormones like androgens? Nobody knows yet all the chemical reasons for why androgens suppress the growth of scalp hair follicles at the same time that they stimulate the growth of most body hair, but scientists are working on that puzzle as we speak.

Q.4 When using spironolactone cream, does it just effect the scalp or is it systemically absorbed?

Topical spironolactone is quite safe, because very little of it is absorbed systemically.

 

[Bryan]

Q.3 What is it about the hair follicle that make it sensitive to hormones?

My understanding is that its not the follicle itself, but androgen receptors in the scalp that make the follicle sensitive to DHT.

Well, obviously androgens affect cells by binding to androgen receptors within them!

But the REAL question, the one that doctors and scientists haven't been able to answer yet, is why there is a DIFFERENCE in the way various hair follicles around the body respond to those same androgens. Nobody knows yet why scalp hair follicles are suppressed by androgens, at the same time that most body hair follicles are stimulated by them.

 

[ClayShaw]

Q.3 What is it about the hair follicle that make it sensitive to hormones?

My understanding is that its not the follicle itself, but androgen receptors in the scalp that make the follicle sensitive to DHT.

Well, obviously androgens affect cells by binding to androgen receptors within them!

But the REAL question, the one that doctors and scientists haven't been able to answer yet, is why there is a DIFFERENCE in the way various hair follicles around the body respond to those same androgens. Nobody knows yet why scalp hair follicles are suppressed by androgens, at the same time that most body hair follicles are stimulated by them.

Oh... thanks for correcting me. Good to see we have an MD on the boards. Where did you go to med school?

 

[Cassin]

Excellent thread

 

[Bryan]

Oh... thanks for correcting me. Good to see we have an MD on the boards. Where did you go to med school?

You don't believe what I just told you? I guess you've got a lot to learn, my friend.

 

[decro435]

Thanks for the answers guys,

Another few questions:

Q.1 The role of DHT seems to differ from person to person, why is this? Some people seem to see negtive side effects by inhibiting the androgen, while others don't see any.. Doesn't DHT regulate Estrogen levels?

Q.2 Since DHT is present in our bodies it obviously serves a function, it is known to serve for the secondary male characteristics such as body hair growth and muscle mass. Should we see a reduction in these if we inhibit the androgen?

Q.3 How can Topical anti-androgens work if they aren't absorbed systemically? Do they only act in the skin? Won't DHT still be binding to the androgen receptors?

Q.4 The hair on the back and sides is generally invincable to DHT. Why is this? Are there less androgen receptors there?

Q.5 Inflammation appears to occur in some cases of male pattern baldness, what effect does this have on hair growth and what are the causes of it?

 

[Bryan]

Q.1 Doesn't DHT regulate Estrogen levels?

Not to my my knowledge. In fact, we do know the other way around is correct: estrogen regulates DHT levels. If you lower estrogen with an aromatase inhibitor, your testosterone and DHT levels will increase.

Q.3 How can Topical anti-androgens work if they aren't absorbed systemically?

By blocking androgen receptors where they are physically applied.

Do they only act in the skin?

The good ones do.

Won't DHT still be binding to the androgen receptors?

Less of it.

Q.4 The hair on the back and sides is generally invincable to DHT. Why is this?

That's the $64 million question! Nobody knows yet why androgens suppress scalp hair at the same time that they stimulate most body hair (hair follicles on the back and sides of the head are in a transitional region between suppression and stimulation).

Are there less androgen receptors there?

Yes, but that's not really relevant as to why androgens have a paradoxically OPPOSITE effect on scalp follicles and body follicles.

 

[decro435]

Cheers for the info Byran.. unk: