Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) Test
A DHT test measures dihydrotestosterone, an androgen the body makes from testosterone. DHT binds strongly to androgen receptors and is the hormone most associated with scalp and body hair patterns, skin oil production, and prostate tissue.
About this test
Dihydrotestosterone is not made directly by the testes or ovaries. It is converted from testosterone by an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase, which is concentrated in skin, hair follicles, the prostate, and the liver.
That conversion step is what makes DHT interesting to clinicians. Two people can have similar testosterone measurements and still handle androgens quite differently depending on how actively their tissues convert the hormone.
Who might consider this test?
- People who look into DHT are frequently exploring androgen-related questions that testosterone alone did not settle.
- Patterned scalp hair thinning
- Persistent adult acne or very oily skin
Test details
| Quest code | 90567 |
|---|---|
| Methodology | Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry |
| Sample type | 1 mL serum |
| Collection | Quest patient service center |
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Additional details
How DHT relates to testosterone
Testosterone is the raw material; DHT is what some tissues convert it into. Once formed, DHT attaches to androgen receptors more tightly than testosterone does, which is why it has an outsized influence in the tissues that make it. In practical terms, testosterone describes supply and DHT describes how strongly that supply is being amplified locally.
This is why the two measurements answer different questions. A person can have unremarkable testosterone and still show androgen-driven changes in skin or hair, and that mismatch is often what prompts a clinician to look at DHT.
What a blood measurement can and cannot show
A blood test reports the DHT circulating in the sample. It does not report how much DHT a particular hair follicle or the prostate is producing on the spot, because much of the hormone acts locally before reaching the bloodstream. That limitation is worth knowing so the result is understood for what it is.
For that reason clinicians interpret DHT as one contributor to a broader androgen picture, weighed together with symptoms, physical findings, medications, and family history. A number by itself does not explain hair loss or acne, and it is not used to settle any question on its own.
Markers commonly ordered with it
DHT is often reviewed next to total and free testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin, and sometimes DHEA sulfate or estradiol. Together these describe how much androgen is present, how much is available to tissues, how much is being converted, and how much is being aromatized into estrogen — four different links in the same chain.
Seen as a set, the markers give a clinician a working map of androgen activity. Which of them are worth ordering depends entirely on the question being asked, and that is a conversation worth having before testing.
Ordering and pricing
This test is available to order online at a flat cash price shown beside the order button. No insurance is billed, there is no membership, and the physician's order is arranged for you. Collection happens at a Quest patient service center, , and results are returned to you securely.
Order online and a physician order is included — no doctor's visit and no insurance needed. Your sample is collected at a Quest Diagnostics patient service center.
Laboratory results should always be interpreted by a licensed clinician who knows your health history. This page is information about a test, not medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is DHT?
Dihydrotestosterone is an androgen the body converts from testosterone using the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme. It binds androgen receptors strongly and is closely associated with hair follicles, skin, and prostate tissue.
How is a DHT test different from a testosterone test?
Testosterone measures the starting hormone. DHT measures what tissues convert it into. People with similar testosterone measurements can differ in how actively they convert it, which is the extra information DHT adds.
How much does a DHT test cost?
The cash price is displayed next to the order button on this page. It covers the laboratory test and the physician's order, with no insurance billed and no separate visit fee.
Can a DHT result explain hair loss?
Not on its own. Hair thinning has many contributors, including genetics, thyroid activity, iron status, and medications. A clinician reads a DHT result together with your history and examination rather than using it as a single explanation.
Do I need to fast or prepare?
No preparation instructions are listed for this test, though people follow any instructions their ordering clinician provides. A morning collection is common because androgens follow a daily rhythm, and you should follow any preparation instructions your ordering clinician provides.