Why do more men lose their hair than women? Dr. Charlotte Grayson brushes away common myths to uncover the bare facts about hair loss.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
“Hey doc, why is it that more men go bald than women?”
Good question, and you’re right – you men do seem to be at a disadvantage when it comes to hair loss. You can blame your hormones – and your genes – for that.
The main culprit behind baldness is the male hormone, testosterone. When it’s converted into a form called dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, it causes the hair follicles to slow down production. DHT also makes the hairs that do grow much thinner and weaker.
Women have a lot less testosterone than men, and the female hormone, estrogen, usually buffers its effects. That is, until menopause, when estrogen production stops. And that’s when some women also start to lose their hair.
You’re more likely to go bald if it runs in your family, but baldness isn’t just inherited from your mother’s father. That’s a myth. You inherit genes from both parents.
So if both of your grandfathers were sporting a horseshoe fringe in middle age, you can probably expect to be a little lighter on top yourself.