There is a persistent myth out there that testosterone causes baldness. However, when you come into Men’s Vitality Center in Tucson for testosterone replacement therapy, you do not have to worry that you will develop male pattern baldness. In fact, the link between testosterone and baldness is far more complicated than you might think.
Balding, like the majority of what happens in the body, is dictated by genes. When the genes in your body begin the balding process, there are certain genes that contribute to making hair follicles particularly sensitive to testosterone. No matter the amount of testosterone, when these genes are in your body, it will prompt the balding. Therefore, the balding is not caused by the testosterone, but rather, a genetic predisposition to balding. Regardless of whether or not you use testosterone, if you have the baldness genes, you will go bald.
In fact, it is not even the testosterone itself that triggers the balding; actually, it is brought on by a byproduct of testosterone. Enzymes in your body break down testosterone, and this process produces a chemical which interacts with the hair follicles. This interaction shuts down the hair follicles slowly. Therefore, while balding and testosterone are related, testosterone injections themselves won’t cause balding.
So if you are concerned about balding from testosterone replacement therapy, don’t be; the two simply aren’t connected in that way. One of the side effects of too much testosterone actually is hair growth, though that is usually related to body hair, not the hair on your head. Additionally, hair loss can sometimes be an indication that you have low testosterone.
If you are concerned that you may have low testosterone, Men’s Vitality Center in Tucson can help. Contact us today to discuss our testosterone replacement therapy.