Hair loss affects many men and can cause a lot of distress. One of its main causes is a condition called male pattern baldness. Other, more temporary causes include anaemia, scalp infections, stress and certain prescription drugs. There are several types of hair loss treatment for men, including prescription drugs and over-the-counter products.
Male pattern baldness (also called androgenic alopecia) is often inherited. Many men notice at least some hair loss and some thinning of the hair as they get older, and most men experience it at some point in their lives. By their 60s most men show at least a little baldness. However, many men start to lose hair already in their late 20s or in their 30s.
The balding does not happen overnight and it usually takes at least several years for a man suffering from androgenic alopecia to become completely bald. For most men the process takes between 15 and 25 years. Typically the hair starts to thin at the front of the head, around the temples and at the top of the head first. Over several months or years, the hair keeps disappearing from the front and at the same time the bald patch at the top of the head grows bigger. They eventually join together and the baldness becomes very visible. Some hair usually still keeps growing in the back of the head and on the sides. In some men this hair eventually gets thinner and disappears too.
Hair grows in the hair follicles that are located inside the skin, close to its surface. Hair is grown in recurring cycles of growth followed by the shedding of old hair and a regrowth of new hair. One follicle usually grows one single hair for approximately three years. After three years the hair falls out and the follicle starts to grow a new one.
As men start to become bald, the cycle changes. The hair follicles inside the scalp start to shrink and the new hair that grows becomes thinner year after year. While it normally takes three years for a single hair to grow before it is shed, the new and thinner hair also grows for a shorter time before it falls out. Finally the follicle is shrunk to a much smaller size and the hair that grows inside it does not even pass onto the surface of the scalp.
This male balding is related to levels of testosterone, the male hormone, in the body. A hair follicle turns testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, another hormone, and in men affected by baldness the hair follicles become sensitive to this hormone. This sensitivity then makes them shrink until they are much smaller than before. This hormone sensitivity does not happen in all hair follicles at the same time, and the reason for it or for its gradual appearance is not known It is also not known why this process only happens in the hair follicles inside the scalp and not in other parts of the body, such as the legs or the armpits.
This process of becoming gradually bald is a part of getting older, and many men see it a natural part of life. However, when it happens early in life it can be an unfortunate condition that affects a man's self esteem. Although it is called male pattern baldness, it sometimes affects women too.
There are also other causes for hair loss and these are not genetic. They include stress, underactive thyroid, anemia (iron deficiency), fungal infections in the scalp and certain prescription medicines. If the cause for losing hair is one of these more temporary situations, it is easier to find an effective hair loss treatment for men. For example., fungal infections can easily be treated with anti-fungal creams or medicines, and anemia is simply treated with iron supplements or an increased iron intake from the diet.
There are two main types of medical hair loss treatment for men: finasteride and minoxidil. You may want to visit a doctor to find out the cause of your hair loss to determine the right treatment and to see if you need prescription medication. Finasterine comes in brand names including Propecia, and minoxil brand names include Regaine. Finasterine is taken in a tablet form and is usually available by prescription from a doctor. Minoxil is a lotion you can be over the counter from the pharmacy. Finasterine blocks the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone in the hair follicle. Since the hair follicles are them not subjected to this hormone, they can start to function normally and to return to their normal size. This medicine is in tablet form and you have to take one tablet every day. Finasterine is reported to slow down the loss of hair in men. Approximately two thirds of men who take it daily also experience some regrowth. Most men who take this medication do not suffer from any more loss of hair. The downside is that you need to keep taking the tablets daily as this medicine only works while you take it, so you might have to take it for the rest of your life if you do not want to lose any more hair. It can take a few months before it starts to be effective and before you notice any visible changes. It can take a year or two before the hair grows back fully. If you stop taking the drug, the balding returns. Minoxil is an over-the-counter lotion and a popular hair loss treatment for men. This lotion is massaged into the scalp daily. It is not known exactly how it works but it is believed to slow down the thinning and loss of hair, and it can also to stimulate new hair growth. However, it needs to be used regularly or it will not be effective. If you stop using it, the thinning and hair loss starts again. Minoxil has successfully stopped balding in some men, and a small portion of the men who use it also experience good regrowth. It can take several months before you see its effect. Once you stop its daily use, your hair will start to fall out within a few months.
There are certain herbal and nutrition supplements that are often recommended as a hair loss treatment for men. Although they do not affect your hormone production, they can help to boost hair growth. Iron, magnesium, zinc and vitamin E are some supplements that may be helpful in increasing hair growth. There is no guarantee that the supplements will work for everyone, but they are also safe to use together with medical treatments. When taken in safe amounts they do not cause any side effects.
Hair transplants and wigs are also common ways to hide bald patches. In the beginning stages, when the hair is mainly thinning gradually, it is often possible to cut and style it differently to hide the thinning and to make the hair appear thicker and more full of volume. Over time hair transplants can become a more effective option, and surgical hair transplants have become a more and more common hair loss treatment for men.
More about alternative treatments...
Incoming search terms:
- hair loss treatment for men
- different types of hair loss men
- regaine temporary loss
