The primary driver of pattern hair loss involves dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone derived from testosterone. DHT binds to androgen receptors in susceptible hair follicles, triggering a miniaturization process that gradually shrinks follicles over successive growth cycles.
Hair follicles exist in three distinct phases: anagen (growth), catagen (transition), and telogen (rest). In androgenetic alopecia, affected follicles experience progressively shorter anagen phases and longer telogen periods. The dermal papilla gradually diminishes in size, compromising the follicle's ability to produce thick, pigmented hair.
Nutritional deficiencies in iron, biotin, zinc, and protein can also compromise follicle function, while chronic stress elevates cortisol levels that can prematurely shift follicles into telogen phase.
