What is DHT?
DHT is the leading cause of hair loss. Specifically Androgenic Alopecia. DHT stands for dihydrotestosterone. It’s a hormone that’s made when your body converts regular testosterone using an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. Everyone produces DHT naturally. It plays a role in puberty, body hair growth, and other normal functions.
Certain hair follicles (especially those on the top of the scalp and hairline) are genetically sensitive to DHT. When DHT binds to receptors in these follicles, it gradually causes them to shrink over time.
This process is called miniaturization:
The growth (anagen) phase gets shorter.
The resting (telogen) phase gets longer.
Each new hair grows in finer, shorter, and weaker.
Eventually, the follicle may stop producing hair altogether.
This type of hair loss is known as androgenetic alopecia (male or female pattern hair loss), and DHT is the primary driver. Because this is the most common and studied types of hair loss it is quite easy to treat, it just requires early intervention and consistent topical treatments.
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Male Pattern- receding hairline and thinning at the crown (Submitted by Jessica Shattuck)
Female Pattern- diffused thinning with a noticeable widening part (Submitted by Jessica Shattuck)
It’s not about how much DHT you have overall, it’s about how sensitive your follicles are. This sensitivity is determined by your genes, which is why pattern hair loss often runs in families.
