Q: I am 35 years old, married male and have two kids. My facial and body hair are very thin though the hair on the head is thick. Also my chest is bigger than normal (looks like that of a woman). Starting from the age of 25, I started having dandruff which resulted in hair falling. The condition became worse due to the mental stress (family problems), which persist till date. Today I am 90% bald. For dandruff, I have used all the external medicines which you have suggested in your website. Neither dandruff is under control nor the hair fall is stopped. Recently, I visited a skin specialist, who after examining my body said, it may be due to the hormonal imbalance which could have been caused by mental stress and asked me to have my hormone levels tested and go for hormone therapy if there is a deficiency. If I go for a hormone therapy, which are the hormone levels to be tested? If I start any hormone therapy, will it have any side effects? Normally what is the duration of such hormone treatments?

A:Issues involved in this query are: male baldness, dandruff and enlarged breast (gynaecomastia) in a 35 year old man. 1. Hair over body and male type of baldness over scalp depends upon male hormone i.e., testosterone and type of race and genetics. In your case as you have children and normal sexual activity it is not due to hormone deficiency, so be rest assured and there is no need to do any hormone assays. 2. Breast tissue enlargement again happens in testosterone deficiency and/or overproduction of oestrogen which again very unlikely. In your case it is likely to be lipomastia i.e.,fat tissue in breast and is due to overweight. So reduce your weight and go for upper body exercises. 3. Dandruff has a cure and best person is to contact a good skin specialist and use high quality shampoo. All these problems may be related to stress so get away from stress.