Can drugs stop hair growth

Medications for hair loss treatment prevent the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the body.Dihydrotestosterone is a sex steroid and androgen hormone that plays a major role in hair loss.

Male pattern baldness is caused by the hair follicle's sensitivity to DHT. The follicles shrink, resulting in a shorter lifespan and the abnormal production of hair.

The most important part of the hair follicle is the dermal papilla which is responsible for the growth of hair. The dermal papilla cells divide and differentiate to form new hair follicles. The papilla is in direct contact with the skin's blood capillaries, from which it gets its essential nutrients for proper hair follicle growth. The dermal papilla has a large number of androgen receptors (more in males than females). When DHT gets to the dermal papilla, it undermines the absorption of vital nutrients required for healthy hair follicles. Hair follicles have resting and growing phases - without proper nutrition, their resting stages get longer while their growing phases get shorter.