Why do men go bald? And does castration stop baldness?

Hinzugefügt: 2026-06-03

[00:00:00]Did you know that one of the most important studies in the history of male pattern baldness came from men who had been castrated? But here's the question nobody asks. Where did Hamilton find so many eunuchs to study? Stay with me because the answer is astonishing.

[00:00:15]>> [music] >> In the 1940s, Dr. James Hamilton made an observation that completely changed our understanding of hair loss. He found that men who had been castrated before puberty almost never developed the typical male pattern baldness seen in genetically susceptible men. Even more interesting, when testosterone was later added to some of these men, baldness began to appear. This was revolutionary.

[00:00:39]For the first time, scientists had convincing evidence that male hormones were not merely associated with male pattern baldness. They were necessary for it to occur. Much later, researchers would discover that the real culprit was DHT, a metabolite of testosterone. But Hamilton's work laid the foundation for everything that followed, including modern treatments like finasteride and dutasteride. The study also taught us one more important lesson. Once baldness becomes established, simply removing the hormonal stimulus does not completely reverse it. The follicle undergoes progressive miniaturization, and after a certain point, a point of no return, that damage is permanent. This remains one of the most important concepts in hair restoration even today. But now comes the uncomfortable part of the story. Where did Hamilton find these men, these 322 men? The answer seems to lie in a Kansas institution called the Winfield State Training School. Hidden in a footnote of his 1942 paper, Hamilton thanked the superintendent and the staff of this facility. Historical records later revealed that between 1895 and 1950, a total of 322 men were surgically castrated in this institution as a part of an era influenced by the eugenics movement and institutional sterilization policies. Those men became the subjects whose tragic circumstances helped unlock one of the greatest discoveries in hair biology. The science changed the world. The story behind the science is even more remarkable. And if you're scientifically inclined, want to dive deeper into this fascinating and uncomfortable chapter of hair loss history, I have placed a link of the original Hamilton paper in the description below. Have a nice day.