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DHT Cream for Hair Growth

When most people experience hair loss, they often begin a mountain of research to try and fix it. It can get a little overwhelming. Which hair loss treatments work, and which ones may even worsen the problem? In this article, we’ll go into the efficacy of DHT cream for hair loss, including what it is, how it works, and whether it’s useful as a hair loss treatment.

What is DHT Cream?

Before knowing what DHT cream is, it’s best to understand DHT as a whole. DHT – Dihydrotestosterone – is a type of androgen directly linked to male pattern balding. When men produce too much DHT as they grow older, they are likely to experience hair loss.

A DHT cream is a type of topical cream that contains testosterone. The most common brand is Andractim, which has 2.5% of the hormone. It is not used for hair loss; instead, DHT creams are typically prescribed to children experiencing hormonal deficiencies. DHT therapy has also shown some promising results in the treatment of micropenis [1], as DHT is responsible for a lot of male development during puberty. The question is, what about DHT and hair loss?

DHT for Hair loss

DHT Hair Loss: Should You Use a DHT Cream for Hair Loss?

DHT hair loss doesn’t occur because the body doesn’t produce enough DHT – on the contrary, it happens when the body overproduces DHT. That means a DHT cream will not be useful if you have experienced hair loss. In fact, it could even make the problem worse if you have DHT thinning hair as a male.

So, to put it plainly- no, you should not use a DHT cream for hair loss. It’s primarily for children who have problems with sexual development and can be prescribed by a doctor for this purpose.

Side Effects of a DHT Cream

Before taking any new medication – including a DHT cream – it’s best to know what side effects may occur. A DHT cream can cause the following symptoms:

  • Increased Energy
  • Mood Swings
  • A Hoarse Voice
  • Excessive Hair Growth
  • Acne

DHT Cream vs a DHT Blocker

When thinking about DHT and hair loss, you likely want to look into a DHT blocker rather than a DHT cream. A DHT cream contains the hormone DHT, whereas a DHT blocker prevents the production of it, which is the key to preventing hair loss in many men.

There are many different types of DHT blockers to fight male pattern hair loss, including:

Shampoos

You can buy many different DHT-blocking shampoos, some of which may work better than others. Many of these shampoos are marketed towards hair growth and contain natural DHT-blocking ingredients like saw palmetto.

Medications

For those with DHT hair loss, a DHT-blocking medication makes a lot of sense. It’s likely to be more reliable than herbal/natural alternatives. One of the most popular and frequently used is finasteride, which is a medication prescribed to men with prostate issues, such as an enlarged prostate. The efficacy is promising – one study in Japan showed that oral finasteride was effective at treating hair loss in 59.5% of patients. [2] Keep in mind that if you want to take finasteride specifically for hair loss purposes, you’ll need to pay for it privately, as finasteride is only available on the NHS when it’s for treating prostate problems.

Does DHT for Hair Growth work

Natural Supplements

There are many supplements with DHT-blocking properties you can purchase without a prescription. For example, supplements with saw palmetto claim that they can block DHT. Be aware, however, that these might not have as much impact as a prescription DHT blocker.

Foods

Certain foods can naturally lower the amount of DHT produced in the body. These include turmeric, onions, coconut oil, and green tea. It’s hard to say how effective these foods are; if you’re struggling with hair loss due to an overproduction of DHT (male pattern hair loss), you’re better off choosing a DHT-blocking medication like finasteride.

Again – while there are a couple of options for blocking DHT, we always recommend a medicated version, as it is more likely to be effective. While eating certain foods or taking supplements doesn’t pose a risk to most people, it likely won’t lead to hair growth.

Should You Use a DHT Blocker for Hair Loss?

So, is it worth using a DHT blocker to treat hair loss? It depends on the cause of your hair loss. If you’re a man with male pattern baldness who is losing hair as you age, it’s a good treatment option. On the other hand, if your hair loss is caused by something else, such as anagen effluvium or traction alopecia, it won’t have an impact.

It should be noted that DHT blockers won’t work for you if you are a woman. DHT and women’s hair loss do not have as much of a link, as DHT is a male-dominant hormone and tends to only cause androgenic alopecia in men. So, if you’re a woman (or AFAB), it’s best to look at alternative hair loss solutions.

Other Treatment Options for Tackling Hair Loss

Are you not experiencing DHT hair loss? If your hair loss is not linked to the production of DHT, you’ll want to consider some of these other hair loss treatment options.

Minoxidil

Minoxidil is a widely used hair loss treatment and has been proven to stimulate hair loss. [3] It typically comes in a topical form (although you can get oral Minoxidil) and must be applied to the scalp every day to keep up with results. Both men and women can use it.

Minoxidul for hair loss

Wigs

Wigs are a type of fake hairpiece that you can wear to hide any signs of hair loss or thinning. There are many different types of wigs available, including synthetic and real-hair wigs. Generally, real-hair wigs are the better option; while they may be more expensive, they look more natural and last much longer.

Steroids

In certain cases, people with hair loss can receive steroid treatments to minimise hair loss and stimulate hair growth. It comes in two types: injections and creams. In both cases, the steroids get applied directly to the balding area.

Low-Level Light Therapy

Low-level light therapy, or LLLT, has been proven effective at stimulating hair growth in patients. It’s a treatment that uses UV light directly on the affected area. You can get this done in a clinic by a professional, but there are also certain light therapy products on the market that could help.

A Hair Transplant

In some cases, a surgical procedure is the best option for someone experiencing hair loss. Both men and women can get a hair transplant, a procedure that involves grafting hair follicles from the scalp and placing them into the balding area. At Harley Street Hair Clinic, we specifically use the FUE method, which ensures taking individual follicles every time, rather than using the strip method. The result is natural – our patients gallery can give you an idea of what to expect.

Who Makes a Good Candidate for a Hair Transplant?

Not everyone is a good candidate for a hair transplant. Here are some of the criteria you should tick off:

High Donor Hair Density

For a hair transplant to work, you’ll need a lot of density in your donor area. Basically, you should have some hair on the head that can be used as a donor area. People who are bald all over likely won’t be able to get the FUE hair transplant. However, there are alternative hair transplant options to look into, such as artificial hair transplants.

Being an Adult

People under 18 cannot get a hair transplant. Even then, many doctors don’t recommend very young adults for hair transplants, as their hair loss is probably not quite stable yet. Generally, it’s best to wait until you are over 25. Also, while there is no upper age limit on a hair transplant, it’s best not to wait until you get too old.

Good Health

You should be in a good state of health to get a hair transplant. Some illnesses and diseases may prevent you from being a good candidate, such as lupus, psoriasis of the scalp, and rheumatoid arthritis.

If you want to determine whether you are a good candidate for hair transplant surgery, it’s best to speak directly to a surgeon during a consultation – only then will you know if it’s best to go ahead with the treatment.

DHT Hair Loss: In Summary

DHT and hair loss undoubtedly have a connection, but it’s not a DHT cream you should be looking for! DHT creams are used to promote the production of DHT, which is usually used in children with hormonal deficiencies. On the other hand, a DHT-blocker (such as finasteride) is best used for men experiencing androgenetic alopecia.

Is a DHT-blocker not right for you? Perhaps you’ve tried it, but it doesn’t give you the results you were hoping for. In that case, you might be more interested in a hair transplant with us. We offer no-obligation consultations with top surgeons, which you can access via our hair track app. There, you’ll also be able to track your hair loss and growth, seeing results in real time.

Sources:

  1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26352087/#:~:text=Dihydrotestosterone%20(DHT)%20is%20a%20potent,with%20micropenis%20of%20varying%20etiologies.
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3969676/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6691938

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