DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) and Hair Loss: The Complete Guide
Last reviewed on 31 July 2026. We review our treatment guides every six months to keep them accurate.
DHT (dihydrotestosterone) is the hormone most closely linked to genetic hair loss. It is a natural androgen your body makes from testosterone, and in people who are genetically susceptible it slowly shrinks scalp hair follicles, which is the main driver of male and female pattern baldness. This guide explains what DHT is, the useful jobs it does in the body, how it causes hair loss and whether you can reduce it. If your hair loss is bothering you, the NHS advises seeing a GP first to confirm the cause before considering any treatment or clinic.
What is DHT (dihydrotestosterone)?
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a type of androgen, or male sex hormone. Your body makes it from testosterone using an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase, which exists in more than one form, chiefly types 1 and 2, with type 2 being the most active in the skin and prostate. Only around 10% of circulating testosterone is converted into DHT, but DHT is the more potent of the two hormones: it binds to the androgen receptor with roughly double the strength of testosterone and stays attached for longer, according to StatPearls (NCBI). That potency is why a relatively small amount of DHT can have a large effect on tissues that are sensitive to it, including the hair follicles.
The benefits of DHT: why the body needs it
DHT is essential for normal male development, driving the male external genitalia before birth and facial hair, body hair and prostate growth from puberty.
DHT is often cast as simply the enemy of hair, but that is only half the story. It is essential for normal male development. Before birth, DHT drives the formation of the male external genitalia, and from puberty onwards it is the main androgen behind facial hair, body hair and prostate growth. Because DHT does these important jobs, the aim of hair loss treatment is never to remove it completely, and it is not something you can or should try to eliminate. The goal is only to reduce its effect on the scalp.
Can DHT cause hair loss? How DHT and baldness are linked
Yes. In people who are genetically susceptible, DHT binds to androgen receptors in the hair follicles on the scalp and gradually miniaturises them. Each affected follicle produces a thinner, shorter and lighter hair than before, until eventually it stops producing visible hair at all. DHT does this by shortening the anagen (growth) phase of the hair cycle, which DermNet notes can fall from a usual three to six years down to just weeks or months. This process, called androgenetic alopecia, is the most common cause of hair loss and produces the familiar receding hairline and thinning at the crown.
Androgenetic alopecia affects both sexes. In men it is known as male pattern baldness; in women it is called female pattern hair loss, which tends to show as diffuse thinning across the top of the scalp rather than a receding hairline. The British Association of Dermatologists explains that it is caused by a combination of genetic and hormonal factors and can be inherited from either or both parents.
Why does DHT affect some people more than others?
It comes down to inherited sensitivity rather than simply having too much DHT. People who develop pattern hair loss are genetically predisposed to respond more strongly to DHT in the scalp, through more active 5-alpha-reductase and more androgen receptors in the follicles. This is why two people with similar hormone levels can have very different hair, and why hair loss runs in families. It also explains an apparent contradiction: the same hormone that thins hair on the scalp stimulates hair to grow on the face and body.
Can you reduce or block DHT?
You cannot, and should not, eliminate DHT, but its levels and its effect on the scalp can be lowered. The most effective options are prescription 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, which reduce how much testosterone is converted into DHT. Finasteride blocks the type 2 enzyme and reduces DHT in the blood by around 70%, while dutasteride blocks both type 1 and type 2 and lowers DHT further. Natural and topical options, such as saw palmetto, are far weaker and less well evidenced than the prescription medicines.
Because these treatments can have side effects and are not suitable for everyone, it is best to see your GP or a dermatologist before starting anything. We look at each option in detail on our dedicated guides:
- DHT blockers: what they are and how they work
- DHT blockers for women
- The best natural DHT blockers
- Foods that may help lower DHT
- Do DHT blocking shampoos work?
Frequently asked questions
Can DHT cause hair loss in women?
Yes. DHT is involved in female pattern hair loss as well as male pattern baldness. In women it usually appears as gradual thinning across the top of the scalp rather than a receding hairline, and it can become more noticeable around menopause. A woman with unexplained or sudden hair loss should see her GP or a dermatologist, as other causes may need to be ruled out.
Does having more DHT mean you will go bald?
Not necessarily. Pattern hair loss depends far more on how sensitive your follicles are to DHT, which is inherited, than on the total amount of DHT in your body. Many people with normal hormone levels still develop hair loss because their follicles react strongly to it, while others with similar levels keep their hair.
Can you block DHT in the hair follicle naturally?
Some natural ingredients are promoted as DHT blockers, but the evidence for them is much weaker than for prescription 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, and any effect on DHT within the follicle is likely to be small. Our guides to natural DHT blockers and DHT blocker foods look at what the research does and does not show.
Is DHT bad for you?
No. DHT is a normal and necessary hormone that is essential for male development before birth and for body and facial hair and prostate growth later in life. It only becomes a problem for hair in people whose scalp follicles are genetically sensitive to it, and even then the aim of treatment is to reduce its effect, not to remove it.
Does reducing DHT regrow hair?
Reducing DHT can slow or stop pattern hair loss and, in some people, allow partial regrowth, but results vary and any benefit only lasts while treatment continues. No treatment works for everyone, so it is worth discussing what is realistic with your GP or a dermatologist.
How is testosterone converted to DHT?
Testosterone is converted into DHT by the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase, which is found in tissues such as the skin, scalp and prostate. Medicines like finasteride and dutasteride work by blocking this enzyme, so less testosterone is turned into DHT.
The bottom line
DHT (dihydrotestosterone) is a normal and necessary hormone that also happens to be the main driver of genetic hair loss in both men and women. You cannot avoid making it, and you would not want to, but in susceptible people its effect on the scalp can be slowed by reducing DHT levels. If your hair loss is bothering you, speak to your GP or a dermatologist about whether treatment is right for you.
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