Why is hair loss more common in men than women?

Whilst both men and women can experience hair loss, it tends to be more noticeable in men. This is due to the fact that men and women lose their hair in very different ways. Here we’ll examine why hair loss appears to be more common in men than women.

Androgenic alopecia more common in men
Permanent hair loss affects 70% of men and 40% of women in their lifetimes. That’s quite a difference between the two genders but when you see the reasons behind it, it makes a lot more sense.

Basically men are more prone to a condition known as androgenic alopecia. This is a genetically inherited condition, which increases activity of the androgen receptors in the hair follicles.

These receptors respond to androgens like dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a by-product of testosterone that shrinks hair follicles and makes it hard for them to live. Because testosterone filled men are constantly making DHT, it makes them more likely to lose their hair than women.

Hair loss in young men
Some men experience hair loss in their teens and early twenties, which again is usually a result of hormones. Since the hormones are raging in puberty, it makes some men in their teens and early twenties more at risk of losing their hair.

According to the American Hair Loss Association, by the age of thirty five, approximately two thirds of men will have lost a little hair. By the age of fifty, 85% will have experienced hair thinning or have lost a significant amount of hair.

Whilst some women do experience hair loss early on in life, it is more common after the menopause, not because of an increase in testosterone but rather because they experience a drop in other hormone levels.

Hair loss in men is more noticeable
When men lose their hair, they tend to lose a lot more of it over a short period than women do. The hair loss pattern is also more obvious in men, as they tend to have bald spots on their crown, whereas women tend to lose their hair all over, which makes it look thinner as opposed to missing.

Why don’t all men experience rapid hair loss?
Going back to the hormones theory, you may be wondering why all men don’t experience hair loss if they all make the same testosterone by-product. This is thought to be down to the fact that some men create more than others and some have more receptors than others. A man could make a lot of the hormones and still not experience significant hair loss if he only has a few of the receptors in his hair follicles.

Preventing hair loss
Whilst some men are prone to losing more hair than others, there are a few things you can do to slow it down. One way is to avoid inflaming the hair follicles. This means no hair dye and heat damage!

You can also help to assist good hair growth by eating a healthy, balanced diet. Make sure you are getting plenty of iron, zinc, Vitamin D, protein and omega-3 fatty acids from your food.

Source: Wimpole Clinic’s website, London