Dr. Richard Harris
Male Pattern Baldness (MPB), also known as Androgenic Alopecia (AGA), is a progressive loss of hair that worsens with age. MPB has a strong genetic predisposition which is why you see this type of hair loss run in families. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is the hormone that is most associated with MPB. In suspectable hair follicles, DHT causes progress miniaturization of the follicle leading to hair loss. 1 Finasteride and dutasteride work by preventing the conversion of testosterone to DHT.
Paying attention to DHT and its role in hair loss is important, but inflammation is another root cause that is often neglected. MPB is not an inflammatory disorder, but clinical studies have found that many people with MPB have inflammatory changes surrounding the hair follicle. 2 This can ultimately result in permanent damage to the hair follicle and an inability to function correctly. Chronic inflammation is also associated with reductions in blood flow which prevent the hair follicle from receiving essential nutrients to maintain growth. 3 Untreated follicle inflammation can reduce the effectiveness of medications such as minoxidil. 4
At Nimbus, our lifestyle assessment and genetic test look at how inflammation can contribute to your hair loss pattern. Our hair restoration therapy takes a holistic approach. It combines vitamins, custom medication combinations, and lifestyle medicine (nutrition, exercise, stress management, sleep, etc.) to achieve the best hair restoration results possible. Get your Nimbus Hair DNA test today to see how we can help you restore your hair.
1 Trüeb RM. Molecular mechanisms of androgenetic alopecia. Exp Gerontol. 2002;37(8-9):981-990. doi:10.1016/s0531-5565(02)00093-1
2 Whiting DA. Diagnostic and predictive value of horizontal sections of scalp biopsy specimens in male pattern androgenetic alopecia [published correction appears in J Am Acad Dermatol 1993 Oct;29(4):554]. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1993;28(5 Pt 1):755-763. doi:10.1016/0190-9622(93)70106-4
3 Zanoli L, Briet M, Empana JP, et al. Vascular consequences of inflammation: a position statement from the ESH Working Group on Vascular Structure and Function and the ARTERY Society. J Hypertens. 2020;38(9):1682-1698. doi:10.1097/HJH.0000000000002508
4 Plante J, Valdebran M, Forcucci J, Lucas O, Elston D. Perifollicular inflammation and follicular spongiosis in androgenetic alopecia. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2022;86(2):437-438. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2021.09.
