Miniaturization in male pattern baldness is harsh in terms of the process by which hairloss occurs. Aside from disease processes, accelerated hairloss due to chemical or radiation treatment, hairloss follows a distinct pattern. Hair does not just… “fall out”. It is a process seen microscopically as a decrease shaft caliber followed by a shedding. Not only are the follicles becoming terminal… gradually getting shorter and shorter in length over time… there is a marked decrease in the shaft caliber. Large follicular groups, i.e. 4’s… become 3’s, then 2’s then 1’s… then 0. At the same time, the shaft thickness is shrinking. It is obvious of the overall effect when thousands of these follicles are undergoing this change.
Below depicts two pictures from the same patient which clearly provides a look into this harsh reality.