July 6 2009, 9:35 am PT | Posted in: Hair Loss Causes
Hello,Thank you for answering my question about smoking and hair loss (posted in your archives in 6/25/09). I thought you might be interested in this link, which provides info on a medical study between hair loss and smoking: Could Your Bad Habits Be Causing Your Hair Loss? Stress - Smoking And Baldness
Summary:
Smoking has been proven to have a profound effect on hair loss by changing the dynamics of hair growth and restoration in the scalp. In essence, it works by promoting the level of DHT (dihydrotestosterone) in the hair follicles. According to a clinical study by the Harvard School of Public Health, DHT levels in randomly sampled smokers were 13% higher in smokers than in non smokers. In addition, testosterone was about 9% higher in smokers than non smokers, which means there are more levels for the enzyme Alpha-5-reductase to act upon in producing DHT. In conjunction with each other, testosterone and DHT increase the amount and rate of hair loss.
I haven’t seen the actual study that is referenced, but assuming this is true, it speaks for itself. Thanks for sending.
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Would quitting help revrse the process at all?
On the other hand, I have read that drinking alcohol reduces testosterone. So, if both of these bad habits are combined the effects on testosterone and DHT should be negligible
jeffrey
ttttttttt, reversing the process really depends on your body. It seems in the very least a feasible concept. After all, propecia ‘regrows’ hair for some people, because it eliminates sufficient amount of DHT (to simplify the complex process). Perhaps halting the intake of nicotine, which could result in a lower amount of scalp DHT, might do the same. In the very least, it could not hurt.
Jeffrey, funny you say that, because I’ve read just the opposite. Wish I had the site handy. However, let’s say you’re right, and alcohol reduces testosterone. Are you sure it reduces it to a degree that matches the DHT increase precipitated by nicotine? That, I would like to know.
I laughed at Jeffrey’s comment. Kill two birds with one stone.