Hair Restoration and Replacement

I get this question a lot because people keep seeing the claim that if they just block DHT their hair will grow back and they won’t have balding issues any more. It is like blocking DHT is the Holy Grail of going bald. The thinking is, if we could find a way to do that then everyone who has a bald head would be able to grow a thick, flowing main once again. This is true and not true as you will see below.

What Is DHT

DHT, dihydrotesoterone, is a metabolite of the male hormone testosterone. That mean, when the homone is metabolized, part of it is transformed into DHT. The enzyme 5alpha-reductase is responsible for the metabolization. You may think that since the original hormone is called the “male hormone” this has no effective on hair restoration for women. This is not the case. Just like the so called female hormone estrogen is also found in males, the male hormone is found in females. The hormone soup that makes up our endocrine system is very complex and we are just now starting to understand it.

DHT Blockers

The most effective DHT blocker is a drug called Finasteride. This drug actually limits the ability of the 5alpha-reductase enzyme which in turn limits the amount of DHT that is metabolized from the original homone. Finasteride was originally developed as a treatment for male prostate problems but it was noted during trials that men with hair loss saw a marked improvement in their rate of losing hair and even saw some re-growth. Further studies were performed and it was determined that DHT is responsible for male pattern baldness as well as enlargement of the prostate.

Finasteride is only available by prescription because it actually has some side effects that are important to track. One of the big ones for men is a decrease in libido. But the most important side effect is for women. This drug can cause birth defects in male babies so women who are pregnant or of childbearing age are not even allowed to touch the tablets for fear the drug may be ingested through the skin.

DHT Blocker Shampoo

Another way to block DHT is to inhibit it from attacking the hair follicles. An FDA approved drug called Minoxidil was developed to accomplish this. The Minoxidil bonds with the receptors on the hair follicles not allowing the DHT to bond and thus the hair can keep growing. If you are looking for a hair loss shampoo then be sure it contains this active ingredient.

Natural DHT blocker

There are a few natural hair loss remedies that seem to affect the levels of DHT or action of the hormone. Saw palmetto extract and stingy nettle root are two that are very popular for treating hair loss. Interestingly enough, both of these were actually used for years as treatments for male urinary tract problems just like Finasteride. Shen min DHT blocker is another popular treatment in some circles.

While all this is good, if you have already lost your hair then blocking the DHT won’t do you much good. The DHT actually renders the hair follicles unproductive but you can’t really bring these back to life by limiting the hormone in the body. If you have already lost your hair then a hair transplantation procedure is about all that will work.

I hope this has cleared up some of the confusion.