What is DHT? How it is formed in our body? How it leads to hair fall and baldness? Is it possible to prevent its formation? If Possible how we can prevent it? And is there any diet, medicine or good lifestyle to prevent from it or reduce its formation?

Dr. Rittika WaliaCosmetic Physician8yrs exp

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Hi lybrate-user, DHT does effect hair growth. But there is no way to stop them its production. However,there are medication which can control and alter its production and help you with hair loss. Male pattern baldness, also known as androgenetic alopecia, is the most common type of baldness in men. Hair at the temples and on the crown will slowly thin and eventually disappear. There is a genetic component to male pattern baldness, and DHT is thought to be one of the major factors involved in its etiology. Hair growth is split into three phases: anagen, catagen and telogen: Anagen: the growth phase. Hairs remain in this phase for 2-6 years. The longer this phase lasts, the longer the hair grows. Normally around 85% of the hairs on the head are in this phase Catagen: this phase lasts only 2 weeks and allows the follicle to renew itself Telogen: this is the resting phase where the follicle lies dormant and can last from 1-4 months. Normally 10-15% of hairs are in this phase. Once this phase is over and anagen begins again, the existing hair is pushed out of the pore by the new growth and naturally sheds. In MPB, follicles slowly become miniaturized and the anagen phase of the hairs is reduced. Due to the shortened growing phase, the hair's maximum length is reduced. At the same time, the telogen phase lengthens. This cycle slowly becomes more and more weighted toward the telogen phase. Over time, the anagen phase becomes so short that the new hairs do not even peek through the surface of the skin. Added to this, telogen hair growth is less well anchored to the scalp, explaining why there is often hair loss noted during showering. Miniaturization of the follicles causes the shaft of the hair to become thinner and thinner with each cycle of growth. Eventually, normal (terminal) hairs are reduced to villus hairs. Villus hairs are the soft, light hairs that cover a baby and mostly disappear during puberty in response to androgens. Hair on the head continually grows without the presence of DHT. However, hair in the armpit, pubic hair and beard hair cannot grow without the presence of androgens. Interestingly, individuals who have been castrated or have 5-AR deficiency will never suffer from male pattern baldness but will also have very little hair elsewhere on the body. DHT is entirely necessary for most hair growth but is detrimental to head hair growth. DHT is thought to attach to androgen receptors on hair follicles and, through an unknown mechanism, genetically trigger the receptors to begin miniaturizing.  

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