• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Important reason why men are far more likely to go bald than women

Home> News> Health

Published 16:33 20 Jan 2025 GMT

Important reason why men are far more likely to go bald than women

Men and women will lose hair differently

Liv Bridge

Liv Bridge

Men are far more likely to lose all their hair and go bald compared to women due to one scientific reason.

While hair loss isn't a condition that only affects men, studies show that men are increasingly more likely to shred all their hair compared to women.

The data by the American hair Loss Association reveals two-thirds of men in the US will experience some degree of balding by the time they hit 35 - and by the age of 50, this catapults to around 85 percent of men.

However, male pattern baldness, medically termed androgenetic alopecia, can actually affect both sexes - but in different ways.

Advert

Women are more likely to lose the fullness in their hair (Getty Images)
Women are more likely to lose the fullness in their hair (Getty Images)

How does hair loss affect men and women?

According to Medline, androgenetic alopecia is a common form of hair loss for men and women, with the condition starting as early as someone's teen years which gradually increases with age.

The way in which men and women lose their hair also differs, with men losing it rapidly from specific areas to form an 'M' shape, while women's hair doesn't recede but rather thins out and widens around the center parting.

Advert

The American Hair Loss Association states that the condition is behind 95 percent of hair loss cases in men, while the UK's NHS estimates the condition affects 30 percent of women by the age of 70.

In men, it can be linked to some medical conditions, like coronary heart disease and enlarged prostates, and women's hair loss can be a result of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which can present a number of other symptoms like menstrual irregularities, hirsutism and fertility issues.

The condition is largely hereditary, meaning sufferers are genetically predisposed to inheriting it from their parents, and there is no way to put a stop to it without hair transplant surgery.

Men's hairlines recede to look like an 'M' shape (Getty Images)
Men's hairlines recede to look like an 'M' shape (Getty Images)

Why are men more likely to lose hair compared to women?

Well, it comes down to biology, specifically the dihydrotestosterone (DHT) hormone, according to Harley Street Hair Transplant, which is a by-product of testosterone which men have far more of compared to women - though it can also be present in women.

Advert

DHT isn't a result of androgenetic alophecia, however, it can play a role in the development of hair loss, Medical News Today also says.

As the hormone binds to hair follicles, causing them to 'shrink and never regrow', the theory is that the more DHT in your body, the higher the chance of going bald.

While this gives one scientific explanation, the Wimpole Clinic also finds the problem could also come from the fact balding in men tends to be more noticeable.

The hormone tends be more present in men (Getty stock images)
The hormone tends be more present in men (Getty stock images)

Advert

The clinic states: "[I]t is much more obvious when a man begins to lose his hair. Women who suffer from female pattern baldness lose hair differently. Female pattern hair loss presents at a slower rate with hair thinning all over the scalp and therefore gives the appearance of thinning rather than loss.

"Men, however, tend to lose a lot of hair over a shorter period from the specific areas of the crown and the hairline."

While the condition is generally unavoidable in men, medics advise there are some steps to slow down the process.

For example, Wimple Clinic recommends to avoid 'inflaming' the hair follicles with over styling or chemicals, such as hair dye or heat damage.

Advert

Hair growth can also be promoted through a balanced diet and supplements that keep the follicles healthy, such as iron, zinc, vitamins and protein.

Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image

Topics: Science, Health, Beauty, US News, World News

Liv Bridge
Liv Bridge

Liv Bridge is a digital journalist who joined the UNILAD team in 2024 after almost three years reporting local news for a Newsquest UK paper, The Oldham Times. She's passionate about health, housing, food and music, especially Oasis...

X

@livbridge

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

an hour ago
2 hours ago
  • an hour ago

    Fans spot Kelly Osbourne's 'subtle' tribute to dad Ozzy as she pays her respects during his procession

    The Osbourne family and the rest of the world are grieving the loss of a rock legend

    Celebrity
  • an hour ago

    Man accused of killing daughter-in-law at family wedding after learning 'plans to divorce his son'

    Roland Schmidt is alleged to have murdered Christine Moyer outside the Marriott Hotel in Chicago

    News
  • an hour ago

    Shocking twist in case of Delta pilot arrested moments after landing plane

    The pilot was hauled off the flight in handcuffs moments after landing, and now another arrest has been made

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    Fans notice touching meaning behind item worn by Sharon Osbourne during Ozzy’s emotional farewell

    Sharon was joined by her and Ozzy's three kids at the funeral, which took place in Birmingham, UK

    Celebrity
  • Reason why some people are more likely to remember dreams than others
  • Scientist reveal what type of lips are most attractive after conducting new study
  • Healthy man, 38, left with ‘locked-in-syndrome’ after headache turned out to be something far more sinister
  • Bizarre reason why women are banned from using waterslide that has strict warning