Perhaps your hair is not as thick, full, and soft as it used to be. Or maybe you’re experiencing significantly more shedding than you’ve seen in the past, and your hair just isn’t growing back like it did when you were younger. If this sounds familiar, you may be experiencing a process called hair follicle miniaturization, which leads to increased hair loss and poor hair growth.
What Causes Follicles to Shrink?
The interaction of genetics and the androgenic hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) causes hair follicles to shrink, especially as we age. DHT is a byproduct of testosterone created with the help of an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase (5-AR). Once in your bloodstream, DHT binds to your scalp’s hair follicles, causing them to shrink (“miniaturize”) and making them less able to produce healthy hairs.
Some individuals are more susceptible to this process than others due to genetic factors. This often results in a condition called androgenic alopecia, better known as male (or female) pattern baldness.
How Do I Know If My Hair Is Miniaturizing?
Follicle miniaturization is not obvious at first, but you will eventually notice thinner, weaker hair that breaks or pulls out more easily. You may also see more shedding than usual, finding a greater amount of hair in your brush, on your pillow, or in your shower drain.
Over time, men often develop a distinctive M-shaped receding hairline, sometimes accompanied by a widening patch of hair loss at the crown of the scalp. Women with miniaturizing follicles do not tend to develop patterned hair loss but instead will see overall hair thinning throughout the scalp and a widening part.
Can Follicle Miniaturization Be Reversed?
While hair loss from male pattern baldness is permanent, there are effective and proven treatments to slow down the follicle miniaturization process. Some reversal may even be possible with early intervention.
How to Stop Follicle Miniaturization?
If you are wondering how to reopen hair follicles for business, the frontline treatment is an oral medication called Finasteride (also known as Propecia® or Proscar®). Finasteride prevents 5-AR proteins from binding with DHT, which in turn prevents DHT from binding to your hair follicles. This can slow or even halt hair miniaturization.
Finasteride is often used in conjunction with topical Minoxidil (Rogaine®), a vasodilator applied to the scalp to encourage blood flow to the area. Other complementary treatments include platelet rich plasma therapy which helps to promote healthy hair growth.
RHRLI Helps You Achieve the Hairline You Desire
At RHRLI, we offer a wide variety of surgical and nonsurgical treatments to address androgenic alopecia and other effects of follicle miniaturization, including proven ARTAS® robotic-assisted FUE hair restoration. Contact us to schedule a free consultation where we can determine the underlying cause of your hair loss, help you maximize your existing hair, and assist you in creating a plan to achieve the hairline you desire.