Free For All Friday - Why Don't Women Go Bald?

As a matter of fact ...

I've spent my whole life without knowing why men go bald. For that matter, I don't know why women don't. I've never even thought about this in all my life. Am I the only one who hasn't? 

It's one of those things in life that you just take for granted. Men bald and women don't. Perhaps I never questioned it because it's such a fact of life. 

As ever, I decided to find the answer. Why do women get to keep their luscious locks well into middle age, yet I have male friends who are fighting back the ebbing tide that is their receding hair line?

Guess who's to blame for men balding: testosterone. Yes, that lovable hormone that makes calm men angry and flirty men straight up creepy is to blame for men everywhere losing their head fuzz. 


Testosterone is converted into the hormone 'dihydrotestosterone.' It's got a long name but a short job: it makes men's hair thinner and shorter over time. The build up is slow and there are many variables from man to man including enzyme production and receptors. This can affect the rate and patter of the balding but the result is eventually the same: no more man mane. I'll stop with the weird names for hair now. 

So now to the question you're all bursting to ask: why not women? Why are they off the hair loss hook? Well, as you might expect, women have a much lower level of testosterone. The little amount they do have is always overpowered by their stronger female hormones. This means no balding enzymes are produced; something that women everywhere should rejoice about. 

But it's not an open and shut case! Women, beware of the menopause! During this time, a women's levels of female hormones can drop to such a level that the ever present testosterone in their bodies begins to have an effect. This can cause some levels of balding! 



This will not happen to the same extent as it does in men so don't worry too much. Besides, it's all natural! As for my male readers, there's not much I can say except if we ever lose our mop tops (last one!) then it will suck but hey, at least now we know why it happens!