Male Pattern Baldness (Androgenetic Alopecia) usually occurs in a recognizable pattern or stages, caused by male hormone DHT binding to Androgen Receptors (AR) on certain hair follicles.
Male hair loss is measured on the Norwood-Hamilton scale as depicted below:
Where Are You on the Scale?
Type 1 Hair Loss
No hair loss.
Type 3 Anterior Hair Loss
Hair loss in the frontal zone only with recession of hairline and temple areas.
Type 4 Hair Loss
Hairline and fronto-temporal receding increases and also signs of miniaturisation in the crown.
Type 5 Hair Loss
The bald patches in the front and crown areas continue to enlarge and the bridge of hair separating the two areas begins to thin and break down.
Type 6 Hair Loss
The connecting bridge that separated the frontal hair line and crown has disappeared, but strands of short fine hair may remain.
Type 2 Hair Loss
Slight hair loss occurs at the temples (progression of the hairlines), with little to no effect on the appearance.
Type 3 Posterior (Vertex) Hair Loss
Hair loss in the Vertex (Crown) area only.
Type 4a Hair Loss
Front hairline, fronto-temporal angles, frontal cone, and mid-scalp areas receding, The crown remains strong.
Type 5a Hair Loss
The hair loss pattern of a type 4a has now progressed and the receding has moved back to reach the anterior margin of the crown area.
Type 7 Hair Loss
Type VII is the most advanced form of hair loss on the Norwood Hamilton scale. There is a horseshoe of hair that remains on the sides and lower back of the scalp below the crown area.
Androgenetic Alopecia is caused by genetic predisposition – the sensitivity of hair follicles containing Androgen Receptors to the male hormone DHT causes the hair follicles to miniaturize, resulting in loss of hair shaft caliber and hair volume and ultimately causing baldness.
Androgenetic Alopecia is passed on via genetics from your ancestors on the father and mother’s side.
A number of other factors also contribute to the final picture, making it a challenging situation.
In Androgenetic Alopecia, the enzyme 5α-reductase facilitates the formation of DHT from the male hormone, Testosterone. The DHT binds with androgen receptors in the hair follicle triggering the process of miniaturization of the affected hair follicles.
Miniaturization is the process whereby hair follicles become smaller causing the hair shaft caliber to diminish and the hair shaft length to get shorter over time.
Eventually the hair will become very thin and small like a vellus hair, then cease to grow and result in an area of baldness.
How To Cure Baldness
There are a number of things you can do to prevent the process of male pattern baldness from progressing, such as changing your diet and using mesotherapy non-surgical treatments and medication.
For more advanced hair loss, you may opt for minimally invasive hair transplant surgery, during which healthy hair follicles are harvested from the donor area of the scalp, and then transplanted into the recipient area.