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Science
DHT (Dihydrotestosterone)
The hormone that grows beards and thins scalp hair — the biological reason beards and balding correlate.
DHT (dihydrotestosterone) is a potent androgen produced from testosterone. It stimulates beard follicle growth while shrinking scalp follicles in genetically susceptible men. This is the biological reason many men with thick beards experience male pattern baldness — same hormone, opposite effects on different follicles.
Key Facts
- ›Converted from testosterone by 5-alpha reductase.
- ›Grows beard follicles, thins scalp follicles.
- ›Explains beard-baldness correlation.
- ›DHT-blockers (finasteride) help scalp but reduce beard growth.
- ›Levels are largely genetic, minimally lifestyle-modifiable.
Full entry coming soon — our editors are finishing it now.
