Causes of Baldness in Men

Baldness is the condition of losing hair on the head where it normally grows. Men are far more often seen without hair on the head compared to women. For generations, different theories have existed about the specific reasons why men go bald and why they usually only lose hair on the top of the head, but not the sides. Current research has helped separate historical hair loss myths from empirical data. Some causes of baldness are specific to hormones, while others are more related to the secondary traits of the male gender.

Testosterone

One of the primary differences between men and women in terms of hair loss is the ratio of testosterone. Men have much higher levels of testosterone, and some of this is expressed in the form of dihydrotestosterone. In the May 2004 issue of the "Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology," Dr. Alfredo Rebora stated that dihydrotestosterone significantly causes hair thinning and is found in high concentrations on the top of the scalp. In addition, in the May 2010 issue of "Endocrinology," Dr. Judy Crabtree and associates found that hydroxyflutamide, a dihydrotestosterone inhibitor, significantly prevented hair loss associated with the male sex hormones.

High Blood Pressure and Genetics

Men may also lose their hair because of high blood pressure and genetic predisposition. Male pattern baldness, also known as androgeneic alopecia, can be caused from having high blood pressure. Male pattern baldness can also be predicted by looking at family history, especially the inherited X chromosome, which is where the androgen receptor gene is. In the May 2007 issue of the "European Journal of Dermatology," Dr. Serge Ahouansou and associates found that 82 percent of men with high blood pressure have male pattern baldness, while only 56 percent of men without high blood pressure have male pattern baldness. In addition, the researchers found that males with a family history of baldness were 10 times more likely to be bald.

Other Causes

There are several other reasons why males may go bald. According to the Mayo Clinic, these include inflammation and scarring to the the hair follicle, autoimmune diseases, emotional and physical stress, hair styles that require pulling, poor nutrition, certain medications, chemotherapy and radiation, scalp infections, and neurological disorders that result in chronic hair pulling. Mayo Clinic states that patients who lose their hair from emotional or physical shock may start to regrow hair after several months, once the original trauma has subsided. Men who have a family history of autoimmune disease-related baldness are also more likely to develop it. One example of the diseases that may contribute to hair loss is an irregular thyroid, such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.