One of lesser publicized consequences of steroid use is the occurrence of hair loss and the need for the replacement of it. What many athletes and other users don’t realize is that anabolic steroids can result in the need to pursue surgical hair replacement procedures to correct the damage caused by taking them. Anabolic steroids can cause permanent hair loss or excessive thinning. Additionally, it is more likely to occur in both men and women that are already genetically predisposed to the condition. In any event, hair replacement can correct this and is oftentimes the only option.
Cause and effect factors
Since anabolic steroids are androgenic in nature, increased levels of DHT and testosterone can result and are not uncommon. This also contributes to the masculine that result in women as well as men. In addition to muscle growth, other side effects such as acne and hair loss or thinning is extremely common. When a man’s hormone level increases, the excess hormones attach themselves to the hair follicles which in turn generates the inevitable outcome. Again, this is especially true when the man is already genetically predisposed to the condition.
Conversely, those males who are not predisposed to the condition may not need hair replacement surgery as hair loss and thinning may not occur. Although this condition can result from the use of anabolic steroids, there are far greater health concerns and considerations involved, some of which can be life-threatening in nature and eventually result in the person’s death. In addition to this, anabolic steroids can cause other disorders and medical conditions such as infertility, liver damage, mood disorders, and even sexual dysfunction.
Preventative measures and solutions
Once hair loss has occurred and become permanent, reversing the process is very unlikely and hair replacement surgery may become necessary in order to restore normalcy in the person’s appearance and lifestyle. Obviously, the greatest method for preventing the condition is to avoid using anabolic steroids at all especially the ones that cause the most androgenic side effects.
If you are experiencing hair loss and thinning due to steroid use, your best option is to starting taking a prescribed hair replacement medication such as Propecia or applying a topical solution such as Rogaine. These are not guaranteed to reverse the process completely, but they may help slow it down before a surgical procedure becomes the only viable option to pursue.
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