Men are far more likely to lose all their hair and go bald compared to women due to one scientific reason.
While hair loss isn’t a condition that only affects men, studies show that men are increasingly more likely to shred all their hair compared to women.
The data by the American hair Loss Association reveals two-thirds of men in the US will experience some degree of balding by the time they hit 35 – and by the age of 50, this catapults to around 85 percent of men.
However, male pattern baldness, medically termed androgenetic alopecia, can actually affect both sexes – but in different ways.
How does hair loss affect men and women?
According to Medline, androgenetic alopecia is a common form of hair loss for men and women, with the condition starting as early as someone’s teen years which gradually increases with age.
The way in which men and women lose their hair also differs, with men losing it rapidly from specific areas to form an ‘M’ shape, while women’s hair doesn’t recede but rather thins out and widens around the center parting.
The American Hair Loss Association states that the condition is behind 95 percent of hair loss cases in men, while the UK’s NHS estimates the condition affects 30 percent of women by the age of 70.
In men, it can be linked to some medical conditions, like coronary heart disease and enlarged prostates, and women’s hair loss can be a result of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which can present a number of other symptoms like menstrual irregularities, hirsutism and fertility issues.
The condition is largely hereditary, meaning sufferers are genetically predisposed to inheriting it from their parents, and there is no way to put a stop to it without hair transplant surgery.
Why are men more likely to lose hair compared to women?
Well, it comes down to biology, specifically the dihydrotestosterone (DHT) hormone, according to Harley Street Hair Transplant, which is a by-product of testosterone which men have far more of compared to women – though it can also be present in women.
DHT isn’t a result of androgenetic alophecia, however, it can play a role in the development of hair loss, Medical News Today also says.
As the hormone binds to hair follicles, causing them to ‘shrink and never regrow’, the theory is that the more DHT in your body, the higher the chance of going bald.
While this gives one scientific explanation, the Wimpole Clinic also finds the problem could also come from the fact balding in men tends to be more noticeable.
The clinic states: “[I]t is much more obvious when a man begins to lose his hair. Women who suffer from female pattern baldness lose hair differently. Female pattern hair loss presents at a slower rate with hair thinning all over the scalp and therefore gives the appearance of thinning rather than loss.
“Men, however, tend to lose a lot of hair over a shorter period from the specific areas of the crown and the hairline.”
While the condition is generally unavoidable in men, medics advise there are some steps to slow down the process.
For example, Wimple Clinic recommends to avoid ‘inflaming’ the hair follicles with over styling or chemicals, such as hair dye or heat damage.
Hair growth can also be promoted through a balanced diet and supplements that keep the follicles healthy, such as iron, zinc, vitamins and protein.
