If I get a hair transplant, will taking anabolic steroids cause my transplanted hairs to fall out or get thin?
This is a common question, particularly from men who have experienced hair loss from steroids. Oddly, however, there are very few, if any, personal accounts on the Net from men that use anabolic steroids and have had hair restoration procedures.
There are "reports" that several pro bodybuilders, athletes and wrestlers regularly have hair transplants to maintain a full head of hair. To my knowledge, however, none of these reports have been 100% confirmed.
I have had 2 hair transplants and later used steroids [under a doctor's oversight].
In my experience, no transplanted hair follicles have been affected by taking steroids and other performance enhancing drugs.
Thankfully, my experience followed the science behind hair restoration.
Let's take a look at the science to reveal why transplanted hairs will be "safe" from DHT and hair loss from steroids.
To start, understand that DHT and anabolic steroids do not “cause” hair loss.
Your natural DHT or anabolic steroids will only cause hair loss if you are genetically predisposed to pattern hair loss.
Hair loss only occurs in hairs that are not genetically designed to resist DHT. The degree of "DHT-sensitive" hair follicles that a male has varies - some men experience no hair loss, while other men are extremely sensitive. The hairs that are most susceptible are typically along the hairline and on the crown of your scalp.
The only hair follicles that are completely safe from DHT and genetically programmed to withstand pattern baldess are hair follicles on the side and back of your head. Think of George Costanza from Seinfeld, he has advanced hair loss yet maintains full density on the side and the back of the head. This area is called the "donor area" because these hairs are not predisposed to pattern hair thinning or hair loss from steroids.
When donor hair follicles are harvested and transplanted to places on the scalp that are thinning, they maintain their genetic code and will still withstand DHT although they have been moved to a new region that previously contained hairs that were predisposed to hair loss from DHT.
In theory and in my personal experience, transplanted hair follicles will be safe from DHT and high amounts of androgens.
Nevertheless, you should consider that your remaining native hair follicles may not be resistant to DHT and may undergo hair loss if DHT is allowed to "attack" them. If those remaining hairs undergo miniaturization, you may require another hair transplant surgery. I needed 2 procedures to achieve adequate density in the front and I plan to get an additional to address the crown. The great thing is that the hair transplant is a permanent and should last forever.
To prevent further hair loss, I recommend that you obtain a prescription for finasteride from your physician and also make an effort to topically inhibit DHT on your scalp. Do your homework on finasteride, it only is effective with testosterone-based steroids as explained in this blog post.
Over my 9 years of experience of combating hair loss from steroids and other performance enhancing drugs, as of July 2011, I think the single best product for topically inhibiting DHT on your scalp 5% Azelaic Acid.
If you have seen my website, www.HairLossFromSteroids.com, you know that I am a proponent of azelaic acid for hair loss.
It is clinically proven to combat scalp DHT, as detailed in a 2005 study in the"American Journal of Clinical Dermatology," scientists found that azelaic acid can inhibit up to 100% of the of DHT in your scalp.
