There is a wide range of male hair loss causes, and thanks to
modern medicine, many choices of hair loss treatment for you to
consider. The majority of men lose their hair thanks to inherited genes
and the normal aging process, but there are other causes as well. The
key to selecting an effective hair loss treatment is to determine the
underlying cause of hair loss and then select among the assortment of
hair loss solutions to find the most appropriate treatment.
Male Pattern Baldness
Up
to 90% of all male hair loss is due to male pattern baldness, also
called androgenetic alopecia. In this situation, the cause of hair loss
is due to genes inherited from the father, the mother, or both. The
older a man gets the more likely balding is to occur, although some men
begin to lose their hair as early as their late teens or early twenties.
Male
pattern baldness generally appears in one of two ways - thinning hair
on the crown of the head or a receding hairline. One way to predict the
balding a man will experience is to look at hair loss and causes in his
relatives. This is not always accurate, though, as sometimes male
pattern baldness can skip a generation.
Cause of Male Pattern Baldness
Experts
say that as many as 50% of all men will experience hair loss, ranging
from mild to moderate, by the time they turn 50 years old, and 65% of
males will have perceptible baldness by the time they are 60 years old.
Whether due to aging, genetics or a combination of the two, why exactly
is it that hair loss occurs?
The answer is a chemical called
dehydrotestosterone, or DHT. It is a male hormone that collects and
builds up around hair follicles, eventually causing the follicle and the
hair growing out of it to be killed. As DHT levels rise with aging,
more and more follicles are affected by it and hair loss becomes more
pronounced.
Other Male Hair Loss Causes
If 90% of
male pattern baldness is due to genes and aging, what about the other
10% of men who have lost or are losing their hair? For these men the
causes of hair loss can range from medical conditions to damage caused
by extreme hairstyles or harsh hair care. Examples can include:
Medication
- Some anti-depressants, blood thinners and medications for the
treatment of gout can cause hair loss, as can excess Vitamin A.
Chemotherapy medications also often cause hair loss.
Severe Illness/Surgery
- The body undergoes tremendous stress during a severe illness or major
surgery, often causing hair loss within three to four months following
the illness or surgery.
Disease - Hair loss in males can be
the cause of an undiagnosed medical condition such as lupus or
diabetes, or a fungal infection of the scalp.
Hormones -
The human body contains an assortment of hormones, both male and female,
that can become imbalanced and cause hair loss. Hormonal problems due
to an overactive or underactive thyroid gland can also lead to hair
loss.
Proper Diagnosis
Because there are medical as
well as genetic causes of male pattern baldness, it is important to
correctly diagnose the exact cause before selecting the most appropriate
hair loss treatment. The best course of action is to consult with your
doctor before starting any treatment.
If the cause of hair loss in
males is something other than genetics and aging, the good news is that
it is often reversible just by reducing or eliminating the medicine or
condition that is causing it. The danger of self-diagnosis is that an
underlying illness or medical condition could continue untreated,
leading to more serious medical issues.
Strong feelings and
emotions related to hair loss are understandable, but should not be used
as an excuse to avoid consulting a doctor. A doctor can confirm that
there is no medical condition requiring treatment and provide advice
about potential solutions.
Understanding Hair Loss Treatments
For
the 90% of men whose hair loss is due to causes such as common male
pattern baldness, there are several treatment options to consider. These
range from topical medications to oral medications to surgical
techniques, all of which come with varying advantages, disadvantages,
costs, and other considerations.
The key to selecting an
appropriate treatment for a male's hair loss is considering convenience,
short term and long terms impacts to daily life, cost, effectiveness
and ongoing maintenance requirements. The best solution for one man may
be very different from the best treatment for another man, so it is
important to make a decision based on personal circumstances and desired
outcome.
Topical Hair Loss Treatment
By far the most
common type of hair loss treatment for males is topical application of
hair loss products. These products can range from special shampoos and
conditioners to scalp stimulating oils to chemical medications.
The
most effective topical hair loss treatment to date is minoxidil,
marketed under the brand name Rogaine. Previously available only by
prescription, this treatment is now available over the counter at nearly
any drugstore, grocery store or large discount retailer. To maintain
hair growth, Rogaine must be used on an ongoing basis; when use is
discontinued, any hair regrowth of hair that occurred will be lost
again. Rogaine is the only hair loss treatment approved by the FDA for
use by both males and females.
Many other topical treatments for
males are available that have not been proven effective. Beware of any
product that is promoted as an "instant cure" or "miraculous hair
growth" remedy. While these hair loss products typically will not cause
particular harm or damage to the scalp or hair, neither will they
effectively promote new hair growth. They are most often a waste of
money that could otherwise be spent on a medically proven treatment.
Oral Hair Loss Treatment
Another
effective hair loss treatment for males is finasteride, marketed under
the brand name Propecia. This medication is available by prescription
only and comes in the form of a pill that is taken each day. As with
Rogaine, if use of Propecia is stopped then any hair regrowth that has
occurred will be lost.
Propecia is an FDA approved hair loss
product for use by males only, and in fact comes with a strong warning
to women because it can cause serious birth defects. Women who are
pregnant or could become pregnant are strongly advised not to even
handle Propecia tablets, because the medication could potentially be
absorbed through the skin.
Surgical Hair Loss Treatment
A
number of good surgical hair loss treatments are available. These
treatments have improved dramatically over the years thanks to better
techniques and better medical technology. The results typically look
extremely natural in most males and do not disappear over time.
The
most common surgical treatment for males is hair grafting, a process by
which hair from one part of the head is transplanted to balding areas.
Grafts can be as small as a single hair, making it possible for the
surgeon to create a very natural-looking hairline.
Another
surgical option for males is more invasive, involving the cutting away
of bald areas and stretching the areas that still have hair over the
excised area. Recovery time is longer for this type of treatment, and
not all hair loss patients will be good candidates for the procedure.
If
you are experiencing male pattern baldness, consult your doctor or
dermatologist who can diagnose the underlying cause of your hair loss
and suggest the best treatment for your particular situation.
