The effects of gravity may explain the apparently paradoxical effects of testosterone in male pattern baldness, or androgenic alopecia, according to a special topic paper in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
The "force of downward pull caused by the gravity on the scalp skin" is the key contributor to the events leading to progressive hair loss in male pattern baldness, writes Dr. Emin Tuncay Ustuner, a plastic surgeon in Ankara, Turkey.
He adds, "The new theory's unparalleled ability to explain even the details of the hair loss process and the formation of the pattern in AGA is apparent."
"Gravity Theory" Helps Explain DHT's Role in Androgenic Alopecia
Dr. Ustuner's theory seeks to reconcile some puzzling observations related to the development and progression of AGA.
Balding areas of the scalp show increases in a potent form of testosterone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT), while drugs that block conversion of testosterone to DHT can slow hair loss.