Expert: Peter J. Panagotacos, <B>M.D.</B> - 9/28/2006

Question
i SPOKE TO A GENTLEMAN WHO RUNS MALE PATTERN BALDNESS WEBSITE AND HE TOLD ME THAT THE COROLLARY WAS TRUE THAT dHEA DOES NOT CAUSE HAIR LOSS WHICH GOES AGAINST THE LITERATURE ALTHOUGH i KNOW OF NO JOURNAL ARTICLE THAT ESTABLISHES THAT dHEA CAUSE HAIR LOSS. tHE CASE THAT i HAVE STUDIED IS A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN ON dhea FOR 80 DAYS-25 MG. i HAVE ELIMINATED LOVASTATIN AS THE CULPRIT.iT COULD BE STRESS. iN YOU CLINICAL PRACTIVCE WHAT WAS THE AMOUNT OF dHEA THE PERSON TOOK AND FOR HOW LONG.i WANT TO FIND OUT FROM YOU IF FROM A SHORT DOSAGE, DO YOU THINK A PERSON COULD DEVELOPE ANDROGENETIC ALOPECIA AND Can it ever be reversible although once the process has started,I question if this is possible or maybe the patient has to wait a year. I have seen people with bald patvhes from chemical hair damage by products like Just for Men where they kept the product on too long and got bald patches but they came back within a year- Dr. Rubin
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Followup To

Question -
I doubt that you may have an answer. If a patient was on a supplement DHEA for 80 day 25 mg-would he have his thick hair thinned-is it reversible if he stops- Noone in his family has had MBP but if DHEA does cause male pattern baldness or is a precursor, it should really be baned and i will contact Dick Durbin.I appreciate your courtesy consult- Dr. Rubin

Answer -
DHEA is a precursro to Testosterone which is a precursor to DHT which tells the hairs to grow old and die. So theoretically it is possible to increase the problem of androgenetic alopecia with supplemental DHEA. The amount of increase of DHT is rather small yet can be measured. I have seen patients with increased loss of hair and early androgenetic alopecia due to higher doses of DHEA than you mention.

Answer
I suggest you talk to your dermatologist or internist. As I wrote in my last response you have taken a relatively small amount of DHEA for a short period of time. It is unlikely to have caused male pattern baldness. I think you would be best served by a visit to a physician who deals with hair loss for an exam of your present situation.