First of all not every bald or scalp hair shaved bodybuilder you see in a gym is suffering from the effects of using steroid pills or steroids injection as the case may be. There is a completely erroneous belief that anabolic steroid use is the primary cause of hair loss.
While it is understandable for the general public to hold firm to this general misconception, it borders on disbelief when experienced bodybuilders strongly believe this myth.
You may have read on so many sites that male pattern baldness is one of many steroid pills or steroid injection side effects. But what the authors of these articles won’t tell you (or can’t explain) is when, why and how steroids influence hair loss.
In this post, you will get to learn a lot more about the relationship between anabolic steroids and hair loss. hairYou will also understand when, why and how anabolic steroids can cause a loss of scalp hair.
I. Anabolic Steroids Injection, Pills and Scalp Hair Loss
It must be said that while it is a proven fact that premature scalp hair loss is one of many steroid pill or steroid injection side effects, it does not mean that this is the case in all anabolic steroids and in all steroid users.
Scalp hair loss or baldness can be caused when anabolic steroids are misused or abused. It may also be caused where the steroids used are not 100% pure, but consist of potentially harmful compounds and ingredients that may stimulate hair loss.
This is especially true considering that most anabolic steroids are purchased in the unregulated blackmarket where unscrupulous merchants are known to spike and adulterate their steroids with other ingredients in order to make a fast buck.
You should know that the human body is already a vessel for many naturally occurring hormones and steroids called corticosteroids. These corticosteroids such as testosterone are secreted by the endocrine glands and organs to create a delicate hormonal balance in the body.
With the use of anabolic steroids, this delicate hormonal balance tends to be disrupted. The effectiveness of anabolic steroids is to artificially heighten the amount or level of certain hormones (like testosterone) in the body without causing significant side effects.
This is why when bodybuilders or any other athlete uses steroid pills or steroids injection, they have to do so in accordance with recommended safe cycles and dosages. When steroids are indiscriminately used, they can cause a serious imbalance in your natural hormones and corticosteroids, an imbalance that can lead to several bodily side effects including premature scalp hair loss.
II. Male Pattern Baldness – DHT and Anabolic Steroids
It is interesting to note though, that male pattern baldness is a genetic condition and can be found in about two-thirds of all males in their mid to late 30s. Similarly, it is estimated that about 85% of all males in their 50s will experience a thinning of their scalp hair.
The human body produces an androgen known as dihydrotestosterone or DHT. DHT which is a natural derivative of testosterone can be found in both males and females.
It is DHT that is responsible for developing male sex traits and characteristics, such as; an increase in facial as well as body hair, the development of of a deep, raspy or hoarse voice and the growth of muscle mass.
DHT is also known to be responsible for male pattern baldness especially when this hormone occurs in excessive amounts in the body. Also, when a person has a high sensitivity to DHT, different androgen receptor genes may stop the binding of amino acids and proteins to DHT as well as other hormones in your body.
So even though your body generates a normal DHT level, you may still experience premature scalp hair loss when proteins in your body cannot effectively bind with other hormones and DHT.
What happens with the hair follicles present on the scalp of your head is that they start to shrink in size due to your body’s sensitivity to DHT and/or due to an excessively high amount DHT in your bloodstream. In addition to this, during the growth cycle of your scalp hair there will be a significant shortening of the Anastrozole stage which results in your hair appearing thin and noticeably brittle.
With very thin and brittle hair, you can be sure that your hair would fall out at a much faster rate than normal. Having excessive amounts of DHT in your body can also hamper the growth and development of new scalp hairs.
When you administer either steroids injection or steroids pills, there is a danger that the drug(s) could further increase the already high levels of DHT that exists in your body. This would then quicken your rate of hair loss as the level of hormonal imbalance in your body system is on the high side.
If you are genetically predisposed to male pattern baldness, using steroids injection or steroids pills may trigger premature scalp hair loss. A process that would begin slowly, but would eventually lead to baldness especially with continuous steroid use.
In person’s that are not genetically predisposed to male pattern baldness, the bodybuilding effectiveness of anabolic steroids may be overshadowed by premature scalp hair loss. This can occur when steroids are misused or abused. The increased steroid activity in the body may cause an excessive rise in your natural DHT levels which can then result in you losing scalp hair at a rapid rate.
III. Can I still take Steroids Injection or Pills and Keep my Scalp Hair?
The quickfire answer to this question is absolutely! Using steroids injection or pills will not automatically lead to you losing your scalp hair, as explained earlier. However, if you already have a high level of DHT in your bloodstream, you are highly sensitive to DHT or you are predisposed to male pattern baldness, then using certain anabolic steroids could cause you to lose your scalp hair.
While the degree or propensity of hair loss would vary from one person to another, it is important for you to implement proactive measures in ensuring that you significantly limit the effect of steroid use on your hair loss. You can start by seeking the wise counsel of a qualified, experienced medical doctor.
You can also be wary of where you buy real anabolic steroids from because many are sold in the blackmarket by unverified dealers who may sell you adulterated products. If you know that you are genetically predisposed to male pattern baldness and you do not want to tempt fate by using steroids, then by all means avoid using any anabolic steroids.
For those bodybuilders that are already using anabolic steroids and have noticed a thinning or loss of scalp hair that they suspect could have been caused by the steroids they are using. It would be wise to book an appointment with your physician and/or discontinue using the steroid(s).
If you continue using anabolic steroids while in the early steroid stages of male pattern baldness, the damage could be irreversible as the baldness advances. But when you stop using steroids early enough especially once you discover that they may be responsible for the loss of your scalp hair, you would avoid any irreversible hair loss.
IV. What are the worst Anabolic Steroids for Scalp Hair Loss?
What are steroids used for? Anabolic steroids are essentially used by most bodybuilders to burn excessive body fat, build bone and muscle mass, to enhance their strength, aid speedy recovery from damaged muscles, and boost energy, endurance and stamina.
While the use of any anabolic steroid poses a health risk, there are some that can affect the natural production and secretion of DHT in your body and these anabolic steroids are primarily used in running bulking cycles. Some of the worst anabolic steroids for scalp hair loss include;
- Anavar or Var,
- Anadrol or Drol,
- Dianabol or D-bol,
- Trenbolone or Tren, and
- Winstrol or Winny.
If you are not genetically prone to male pattern baldness, then using D-bol or Tren may not necessarily instigate premature scalp hair loss. But for anyone that is prone to hair loss, using these anabolic steroids will speed up premature scalp hair loss. The hair on the temples and crown would be noticeably thin when using these steroids under this condition.
To avoid further thinning of your hair, you should stop using Tren or D-bol if you are genetically predisposed to having male pattern baldness. In the case of using Var, estrogen will not be converted to dihydrotestosterone when small doses of Anavar are used.
But where high doses of Var are used, for example from 100 mg upwards, then there is the possibility of your hair follicles being shrunken resulting in the growth of thin, brittle scalp hair that would easily fall out.
V. Conclusion
On a final note, whether you use steroids pills or steroids injection, remember that it is the level of DHT in your body or your sensitivity to DHT that really determines if you may experience scalp hair loss or not.
Anabolic steroids can influence scalp hair loss when you are genetically predisposed to male pattern baldness and when you are sensitive or have excess dihydrotestosterone in your bloodstream.
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