Why The Galea Is The Fundamental Cause Of Male Pattern Balding (& Androgens Are Secondary)

[WHLX]

You believe the mechanical tension theory is a ruse created by Botox professionals to increase revenue?

It took me a while to warm to the mechanical stress theory. I had to read a handful of studies (unrelated to the botox industry) before I took it seriously. This has already been discussed in another thread. Segura's study outlines why mechanical tension is a factor:

http://www.ijtrichology.com/article...ssue=3;spage=95;epage=99;aulast=Tellez-Segura

'The result of this analysis indicates a constant linear dependence between elastic deformation of scalp and Androgenetic Alopecia patterning, which clearly identifies mechanical stress as an active factor in Androgenetic Alopecia.'

 

[BalderBaldyBald]

You believe the mechanical tension theory is a ruse created by Botox professionals to increase revenue?

It took me a while to warm to the mechanical stress theory. I had to read a handful of studies (unrelated to the botox industry) before I took it seriously. This has already been discussed in another thread. Segura's study outlines why mechanical tension is a factor:

http://www.ijtrichology.com/article...ssue=3;spage=95;epage=99;aulast=Tellez-Segura

'The result of this analysis indicates a constant linear dependence between elastic deformation of scalp and Androgenetic Alopecia patterning, which clearly identifies mechanical stress as an active factor in Androgenetic Alopecia.'

Treat the symptoms or the root cause ? Is mechanical stress a result or a root cause ? We all pretty much know that botox injections did have some results on Androgenetic Alopecia years ago.

DHT effect on DP cells is still running while you relief your scalp tension

 

[Mandar kumthekar]

Treat the symptoms or the root cause ? Is mechanical stress a result or a root cause ? We all pretty much know that botox injections did have some results on Androgenetic Alopecia years ago.

DHT effect on DP cells is still running while you relief your scalp tension

Well said. Mechanical stress is there but could be secondary not primary.I think more sensitive AR could have effect on occipital and frontalis muscle tension. More toned head muscles because of over sensitive AR receptors will cause scalp to be stressed and then damage to hair follicles.

 

[Armando Jose]

Treatment of Male Pattern Baldness with
Botulinum Toxin: A Pilot Study
Sir:
We would like to present the results of an openlabel
pilot study using botulinum toxin type A
(Botox; Allergan, Inc., Irvine, Calif.) for the treatment
of androgenetic alopecia. This form of alopecia is believed
to be caused by a genetically predisposed sensitivity
of hair follicles to the toxic effects of dihydrotestosterone,
ametabolite of testosterone. Medical treatment
of androgenetic alopecia has previously only been moderately
effective using systemic drugs such as finasteride,
a 5-reductase inhibitor.1
In this ethically approved study, 50 male subjects aged
between 19 and 57 years with Norwood/Hamilton ratings
of II to IV participated.2 The study was 60 weeks in duration,
with 12 weeks of run-in followed by two treatment
cycles of 24 weeks each. Subjects were injected with 150
units of Botox (5 units per 0.1 ml saline) into the muscles
surrounding the scalp, including frontalis, temporalis,
periauricular, and occipitalis muscles in equally divided
doses over 30 injection sites. The primary outcome measure
was a change in hair count in a fixed 2-cm area using
a method described by Canfield.3 Secondary outcome
measures included hair loss, measured by having subjects
collect loose hair from their pillow with a sticky lint roller,
and subjective efficacy using a validated questionnaire.
Statistical analysis entailed paired t tests of group means.
Forty subjects completed the study, and no adverse
effects were reported. The treatment response rate was
75 percent. Mean hair counts for the entire group
showed a statistically significant (p 0.0001) increase
of 18 percent between baseline and week 48 (Table 1),
similar to the results reported with Propecia (Merck,
Whitehouse Station, N.J.).1 Hair regrowth was objectively
visible in some subjects (Fig. 1). Secondary outcome
measures were also significantly improved. The
reduction in hair loss and increase in hair count did not
show a statistically significant correlation. This suggested
that longer retention of terminal hairs did not
account for the increase in hair count.
Mechanistically, the scalp behaves like a drum skin with
tensioning muscles around the periphery. These muscle
groups—the frontalis, occipitalis, and periauricular muscles
and to a minor degree the temporalis—can create a
“tight” scalp when chronically active. Because the blood
supply to the scalp enters through the periphery, a reduction
in blood flow would be most apparent at the distal
ends of the vessels, specifically, the vertex and frontal
peaks. Areas of the scalp with sparse hair growth have
been shown to be relatively hypoxic, have slow capillary
refill, and to have high levels of dihydrotestosterone.4
Conceptually, Botox “loosens” the scalp, reducing pressure
on the perforating vasculature, thereby increasing
blood flow and oxygen concentration. The enzymatic
conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone is oxygen
dependent. In low-oxygen environments, the conversion
of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone is favored;
whereas in high-oxygen environments, more testosterone
is converted to estradiol.4 Blood flow may therefore be a
primary determinant in follicular health. Strategically
placed Botox injections appear able to indirectly modify
this variable, resulting in reduced hair loss and new hair
growth in some men with androgenetic alopecia.
DOI: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e3181ef816d
Brian J. Freund, D.D.S., M.D.
Marvin Schwartz, D.D.S., M.Sc.
Crown Institute
Pickering, Ontario, Canada
Correspondence to Dr. Freund
49 Main Street South
Uxbridge, Ontario L9P 1J4, Canada
freund@crowninstitute.com
This clinical trial has been registered as “Treatment of
Male Pattern Baldness with Botulinum Toxin” at
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ClinicalTrials.gov
Copyright ©2010 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons with identifier NCT00965640

 

[Armando Jose]

In my opinion stress is a factor involved but generally it is not negative for the hair growth, the most stressed area of the scalp should be that of the temples, because it is in tension longer, eating or talking, for example, and It is not usually lost in alopecia, but curiously it is the hair more prone to lose the pigment. It must be related to aging.

 

[BalderBaldyBald]

Well said. Mechanical stress is there but could be secondary not primary.I think more sensitive AR could have effect on occipital and frontalis muscle tension. More toned head muscles because of over sensitive AR receptors will cause scalp to be stressed and then damage to hair follicles.

Could not say it better

 

[Mandar kumthekar]

DHT is also fat killer. I will give a link of study which concluded that whites,blacks ,Asian differ in subcutaneous fat thickness. White off course had less subcutaneous fat than other ethnicity ,black found to have good subcutaneous fat. Galea theory has emphasis on subcutaneous fat reduction. It will then possible that because whites have low subcutaneous fat all over including under scalp they experience baldness more prematurely and severely. Just my guess

 

[Mandar kumthekar]

African Americans =more subcutaneous fat=less baldness
I think native American diet is rich in fat (fish)+ Oriental gene makes them dam resistance to baldness.

 

[shyyguy123]

For me it would be hard to believe that the galea doesn't play a huge part in baldness given the fact that both male and female pattern baldness occur directly above the galea.

Some sort of combination of DHT/galea tension would definitely make the most sense IMO.

 

[abcdefg]

Yeah this theory, or that hair in these regions is more dense in androgen receptors so is simply more sensitive to androgens than the other areas of the scalp so these areas always bald first. Why are certain areas more dense in AR than others? We have no idea why these things happen why does male pattern baldness exist in the first place or why does hair become sensitive is the million dollar question we know nothing about yet
Also I think it goes without saying that male pattern baldness is only called an androgen mediated disease today because of the success of propecia. Androgens are just one path where we have intervened, and we see success that androgens can prevent male pattern baldness, but its silly to say male pattern baldness is caused by androgens.
male pattern baldness is caused by unknown things like a dysfunction in the WNT pathway causing the immune system to attack hair follicles in the presence of androgens or imbalance in PGD 2 levels or a combination of things. its not really androgens.

 

[ariel12160]

so lets say that all the thoery it true .
so scalp exercise like those of tom hagerty could treat it and stop the hair loss? (lets say it works , so it the solution ?)

 

[abcdefg]

Well said. Mechanical stress is there but could be secondary not primary.I think more sensitive AR could have effect on occipital and frontalis muscle tension. More toned head muscles because of over sensitive AR receptors will cause scalp to be stressed and then damage to hair follicles.

Your just bending the current science to fit your made up theory. Religious fanatics do this constantly. You can explain the male pattern baldness pattern with this theory or that your born with certain AR density/patterns throughout your hairs, and that determines the pattern. Only the hairs in the male pattern baldness shape have most of the receptors compared to others.
Its hard to answer with how little anyone knows, but this theory is pretty far out there.

 

[Mandar kumthekar]

Your just bending the current science to fit your made up theory. Religious fanatics do this constantly. You can explain the male pattern baldness pattern with this theory or that your born with certain AR density/patterns throughout your hairs, and that determines the pattern. Only the hairs in the male pattern baldness shape have most of the receptors compared to others.
Its hard to answer with how little anyone knows, but this theory is pretty far out there.

OK you can disagreed. So what line of reasoning you think most right to explain male pattern baldness?

 

[Armando Jose]

Only the hairs in the male pattern baldness shape have most of the receptors compared to others.

Have you any proof/paper regarding this difference in healthy people?

 

[Mandar kumthekar]

Have you any proof/paper regarding this difference in healthy people?

He is bending science to fit his DHT receptor sensitivity and density theory

 

[Armando Jose]

It's what we usually do, it's not bad if you do not fall for extremism

 

[BetaBoy]

Interesting.

This is more evidence in favor of microneedling.

This is not evidence this is a hypothesis.

 

[disfiguredyoungman]

For me it would be hard to believe that the galea doesn't play a huge part in baldness given the fact that both male and female pattern baldness occur directly above the galea.

Some sort of combination of DHT/galea tension would definitely make the most sense IMO.

Transplanted hair from your horseshoe do just as well on the top of your head than on the sides, so no.

 

[BalderBaldyBald]

I member some arguments sayin' that transplanted hair on long term may have the same fate

And some unlucky brothers even loose the infamous horseshoe aswell, talking about long term here

 

[RU serious]

I member some arguments sayin' that transplanted hair on long term may have the same fate

And some unlucky brothers even loose the infamous horseshoe aswell, talking about long term here

It might have been here I remember reading the theory that transplanted hair is unaffected by male pattern baldness for about as long as your other hair was after puberty. That was absolutely f*****g terrifying for me considering I have had a transplant and started losing at 17, so that would give me about 3/4 years.