Steroids and Hair Loss

Many hair loss physicians and experts believe that androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness) is generally caused by DHT (dihydrotestosterone) as well as other hormonal factors. DHT is considered the PRIMARY cause. This occurs when DHT attaches to the hair follicles that are not genetically programmed to withstand certain levels of the hormone. This causes the inflammatory process to shed hair and eventually begin shedding is the process continues. In short, DHT can cause hair loss. This generally only occurs is one is actually prone to hair loss.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• Introduction
• How do steroids cause hair loss
• Which steroids can induce hair issues
• How to prevent or control steroid related hair loss
• Conclusion

Introduction:

As many of you know, one of the possible side effects with many types of steroids is that of hair loss. Not all steroids carry this as a possible side effect but many do. If hair loss is something that you are concerned about then it is a big decision that one is faced with. Having a full and accurate understanding of possible side effects is important in anything that you do. Understanding what and how this is caused is extremely important and will be explained in detail below.

How do steroids cause hair loss?

When a person is genetically prone to male pattern baldness, steroid use will likely accelerate probable hair loss due to higher levels of DHT being present in the body. There is a prevalent misconception that steroids actually cause hair loss themselves. The fact is that steroids will actually only cause potential hair loss to follicles that are prone to male pattern baldness.

Which steroids cause hair loss?

There are certain steroids that are notorious for causing hair loss while others do not carry these properties. Androgenic compounds cause DHT side effects such as accelerated genetic pattern hair loss. They are the ones that would need to be avoided if you are concerned about your hair. Unfortunately, many of the cutting steroids are DHT based, thus one of the possible main side effects associated with use is the possibility of hair loss. There are several charts that will show an androgenic rating rating for each steroid available. The higher the rating, the more probable the possibility of hair loss occurring. The following is a list of the more prevalently used steroids that have the highest probability of causing hair loss:

• WINSTROL
• MASTERON
• ANAVAR
• PRIMBOLAN
• ANADROL
• TRENBOLONE
• DIANABOL
• PROVIRON

Less likely but still possible hair loss steroids:

• TESTOSTERONE
• TURINABOL
• DECA DUABOLIN
• NPP
• BOLDENONE (EQUIPOISE)

As you can see from the list, the highest probability of hair loss occurs with DHT based steroids. The only non DHT steroids on the higher probability list are trenbolone and dianabol and although they have a less probability than other steroids, they still belong on the higher probability list as they have still shown to cause or induce hair loss amongst several users. This is not a guarantee that this will occur. These are the steroids that will possibly speed up or enhance the process, especially in individuals with pre existing conditions. It is always good to be aware and prepared for all possibilities of side effect occurrence.

How to prevent or control steroid related hair loss:

To prevent or lower the probability of steroid related hair loss, one must lower existing DHT levels that are circulating through the body. It is important to block the DHT from attaching to hair follicles that are prone to male pattern baldness. This can be a problem for steroid users because there can be excessive amounts of DHT moving throughout the body. There are several options for treatment and control of possible hair loss. The main concern is the possible and/or probable side effect. I am simply going to provide a list of treatment methods:

• Finasteride
• Minoxidil
• Dutasteride
• Proscar
• Regenpure Shampoo
• Azelax (anti DHT cream)

These are not the only treatment methods but are the most commonly used for treatment. Choose wisely and research thoroughly for side effects before use of any of these products.

Conclusion:

Knowing possible and/or probably side effects with anything you are putting into your body is of the utmost importance. It is vital to understand problems that could arise as well as possible treatment methods. If you are prone to or concerned about hair loss, then extra care should be taken when opting to use any steroid, especially any that are contained in the above list. Proceed with caution and always be prepared before making a decision.