A question

[hairiahere]

Something I do not understand when scientists say that the cause of hair loss in men is when testosterone turns to* DHT,and it's arrival to the hair follicles is causing falling,but the modus operandi of minoxidil is to
nourish* the hair follicles with more blood and this means a lot of DHT. We all know that minoxidil does not affect fertility in men, but fertility is affected when you use PROPECIA,but so many* men who had used minoxidil or propecia they got hair regrowth,despite the contradiction of the mechanism of these two products. I am really confused.

 

[Folliman]

Good question, I wonder the same thing.
Logic tells me more blood on your scalp ≠ more DHT. I would say that all the DHT necessary to kill your follicles gets there with very little help. But truly, I don't know.

 

[Dench57]

It's the inflammation caused by too much DHT that causes hair loss. Latest research shows that the protein PDG2 is more responsible for balding, PGD2 in a chain is after the DHT hormone as I understand.

Inflammation happens when the immune system starts attacking the DHT on the scalp. We do know by directly inhibiting the (important) DHT hormone; it has negative side effects on the male body such as ED.

As someone who experiences the most insane male pattern baldness itch/inflammation, I'm trying to understand the science behind it. Your description sounds like androgenic alopecia could be considered an auto-immune disease? Immune system attacking healthy cells/follicles?
That's what alopecia areata is, but I've been wondering if something similar happens in androgenic alopecia.
If this were the case, surely immunosuppressants could be used as an male pattern baldness treatment? Never heard of it myself.

 

[hairiahere]

How to stop this inflammation?

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And if it is because that damn hormone then all men must suffer from baldness

 

[Dench57]

How to stop this inflammation?

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And if it is because that damn hormone then all men must suffer from baldness

It's not about how much DHT you have. It's about how sensitive your hair follicles are to that DHT. Men with male pattern baldness are genetically predisposed to be sensitive to DHT.

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It's funny you mention immunosupressants as a reversal of male pattern baldness. As many organ anti-rejection drugs (immunosurpessants) which are used in organ transfer, namely Cyclosporin, the side effect is the regrowth of hair even in people with pattern baldness. The thing is shutting down your whole immune system for hair growth is extremely dangerous, and you risk death even with minor infections/viruses.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7528050

Yeah I've heard of people having success with this. You'll also find reports on hloss forums of people using Sulfasalazine to good effect. This is a potent anti-inflammatory and mild immunosuppressant. It helps to inhibit all manner of pro-inflammatory cytokines implicated in male pattern baldness (the inflammation resulting from DHT binding to follicle receptor) like TNF-Alpha, TGF Beta and caspase activity. I've heard it also somehow upregulates PGE2 (good for hair growth), though I'm not sure on this bit. The problem is the nasty side effect profile.

I'm trying to look into the inflammatory side of male pattern baldness as much as possible, I have the worst male pattern baldness itch ever, and since I can't inhibit DHT, I'm in a difficult place. Traditional anti-inflammatories like corticosteroids haven't helped. There's no redness or physical signs of inflammation, its on a cellular level. I'm hoping PGD2 stuff will help. Still not sure if DHT is solely responsible for hair miniaturisation and death, or if it's the inflammatory chain reaction caused by DHT. Hoping I can tackle the problem "downstream" from DHT binding to follicle.

 

[hairiahere]

It's not about how much [ you have. It's about how sensitive your hair follicles are to that DHT. Men with male pattern baldness are genetically predisposed to be sensitive to DHT.

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Yeah I've heard of people having success with this. You'll also find reports on hloss forums of people using Sulfasalazine to good effect. This is a potent anti-inflammatory and mild immunosuppressant. It helps to inhibit all manner of pro-inflammatory cytokines implicated in male pattern baldness (the inflammation resulting from DHT binding to follicle receptor) like TNF-Alpha, TGF Beta and caspase activity. I've heard it also somehow upregulates PGE2 (good for hair growth), though I'm not sure on this bit. The problem is the nasty side effect profile.

I'm trying to look into the inflammatory side of male pattern baldness as much as possible, I have the worst male pattern baldness itch ever, and since I can't inhibit DHT, I'm in a difficult place. Traditional anti-inflammatories like corticosteroids haven't helped. There's no redness or physical signs of inflammation, its on a cellular level. I'm hoping PGD2 stuff will help. Still not sure if DHT is solely responsible for hair miniaturisation and death, or if it's the inflammatory chain reaction caused by DHT. Hoping I can tackle the problem "downstream" from DHT binding to follicle.

Did you try aspirin or indometacin?

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I think that 50 years ago men didn't consider baldness as a big issue...but nowadays it is quite different...is it because the lifestyle? Seriously my hairloss is destroying my social life and my career...I don't know what to do....I am living in a horrible nightmare.

 

[MI92]

Did you try aspirin or indometacin?

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I think that 50 years ago men didn't consider baldness as a big issue...but nowadays it is quite different...is it because the lifestyle? Seriously my hairloss is destroying my social life and my career...I don't know what to do....I am living in a horrible nightmare.

Big issue as in social stigma compared to 50 years ago? Or the number of people bald compared to then? Either way it is not due to lifestyle, Androgenetic Alopecia (male pattern baldness) is due to genetics and lifestyle factors play a very negligible role at best when it comes to Androgenetic Alopecia, you just have to look at the middle-aged (and beyond) homeless men with full heads of hair. How bad is it and what would you say you are on the norwood scale?

 

[hairiahere]

Big issue as in social stigma compared to 50 years ago? Or the number of people bald compared to then? Either way it is not due to lifestyle, Androgenetic Alopecia (male pattern baldness) is due to genetics and lifestyle factors play a very negligible role at best when it comes to Androgenetic Alopecia, you just have to look at the middle-aged (and beyond) homeless men with full heads of hair. How bad is it and what would you say you are on the norwood scale?

I mean they didn't care but we care too much,am I right?