Why do some balding men stop balding?

[JimmyJones]

I know a lot of men in my life and television that started losing their hair and then they seemed to stop at a certain Norwood and stay there for many years. Why is this? I know some of you will say these men started taking finasteride which may be true for some of them but I know for a fact this isn't the case every time. My dad is an example, semms to have been a Norwood with diffuse thinning for decades now. I seem to be similar, my hairline receded aggressively and thinned but seems to have slowed over the last couple of years and I am on no treatments. What's the science behind this?

 

[zdm632]

I know a lot of men in my life and television that started losing their hair and then they seemed to stop at a certain Norwood and stay there for many years. Why is this? I know some of you will say these men started taking finasteride which may be true for some of them but I know for a fact this isn't the case every time. My dad is an example, semms to have been a Norwood with diffuse thinning for decades now. I seem to be similar, my hairline receded aggressively and thinned but seems to have slowed over the last couple of years and I am on no treatments. What's the science behind this?

I think that only a part of their follicles are sensitive to androgens, the rest are DHT-resistant, even though they are in the Norwood area. so the sensible follicles miniaturise and stop producing hair, while the others are not affected, remain terminal, so balding stops at a certain Norwood.

 

[theonelink]

my dad receded to a nw2 in his twenties, has remained the same ever since... he has the same hair now at 54. Here's hoping I'm the same, highly doubt it fs

 

[hellouser]

my dad receded to a nw2 in his twenties, has remained the same ever since... he has the same hair now at 54. Here's hoping I'm the same, highly doubt it fs

My grandfather developed into a NW2/3 in his early twenties and stayed that way until he died at 77. I've developed the same hairline as him in the same timeframe. I'm 30 now and haven't really worsened much except density has taken a hit. I somewhat blame Minoxidil on that though.

 

[abcdefg]

Yeah part of the sensitivity and genetics that no one understands. Its funny how with male pattern baldness you could ask a hundred questions no one has any clue how to answer because so much is just not known. Seems to be a pretty common thing in medicine. So then all the snake oil and pseudo science pops up to fill in all the knowledge gaps since its easier then actually figuring anything out

 

[Notcoolanymore]

My dad eventually stopped balding when he hit NW7.

 

[hellouser]

My dad eventually stopped balding when he hit NW7.

LOL!

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

My dad eventually stopped balding when he hit NW7.

LMAOOO

 

[maher]

My grandfather developed into a NW2/3 in his early twenties and stayed that way until he died at 77. I've developed the same hairline as him in the same timeframe. I'm 30 now and haven't really worsened much except density has taken a hit. I somewhat blame Minoxidil on that though.

What about your father? My dad is NW2-3 from his late 20s. I hope I picked up his hair chromosome.

 

[The Far Side]

I was watching Dog Day Afternoon (1975) and I noticed Lance Henriksen's hairline didn't really change much in 20-25 years. Things only progressed a bit recently. The one on the left is from 1975, and the right is from 1998ish (Millennium).

 

[mr the hairy monkey]

don't bother with the science behind it , basically : it's all written in your genes.

it can start at any moment , or not at all , and stop its progression at any moment.

besides , don't rely too much on television , actors/ presenters are either hiding it through makeups , or have undergone hair transplant.

 

[hellouser]

What about your father? My dad is NW2-3 from his late 20s. I hope I picked up his hair chromosome.

NW1. He's 54 right now and has a little bit of thinning in the crown. Everything else is in tact... not even all that much grey hair (just a little bit on the sides and thats it)

 

[Eureka]

I know a lot of men in my life and television that started losing their hair and then they seemed to stop at a certain Norwood and stay there for many years. Why is this? I know some of you will say these men started taking finasteride which may be true for some of them but I know for a fact this isn't the case every time. My dad is an example, semms to have been a Norwood with diffuse thinning for decades now. I seem to be similar, my hairline receded aggressively and thinned but seems to have slowed over the last couple of years and I am on no treatments. What's the science behind this?

In a word? Genetics. Age of onset which is often connected to how aggressive the hairloss is etc. Also actors as they appear in film/television are a bad lot in general to focus on, as they have access to professional stylists who are paid well and quite talented at creating/maintaining illusions.

 

[Geiri]

My Doctor told me I might be wasting my money on finasteride because in some cases after some thinning it stops until middle or even old age.

I don't mind though because I can get finasteride (not Propecia) really cheap. Also better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Eureka]

My Doctor told me I might be wasting my money on finasteride because in some cases after some thinning it stops until middle or even old age.

I don't mind though because I can get finasteride (not Propecia) really cheap. Also better to be safe than sorry.

I'm no doctor, however yours sounds pretty ignorant albeit technically correct (after a fashion). Although it's true that different people progress at different rates, few people want their hairloss to progress at all. It's also important to note that it's far easier to maintain hair than regrow it. I do believe there is a procedure involving a scalp analysis which can produce a rough outline of your hairloss pattern, and predict to some extent how much loss you can expect in the future(not sure how reliable). Yet finasteride is relatively safe and there's certainly little risk in your trying it out. Take pictures from the beginning of your treatment, as progress can be difficult to see via the naked eye.

 

[TanbarkBellss]

Same thing happened to my uncles. They receded when they were young (not sure what age. probably 20's) but it hasn't progressed for like 10-15 years. It just stayed there. It gives me hope, although i'm probably more thinned out than both of them already unfortunately.

 

[abcdefg]

There are guys I have met that are 40+ with Norwood 1 the hair they had when they were like 15 its genetics and I think androgens. Most of them really have abnormally small amounts of facial hair or body hair kind of like those domican republic people that lacked the 5 ae 2 that finasteride was based on. It does seem to have truth to it. I still think preventing all androgens can prevent male pattern baldness completely we just cant do it yet. I also think T plays a role and its not just DHT so something like CB that prevents all androgens from affecting hair would be important