Male Pattern Baldness Treatment

What is Male Pattern Baldness

Baldness is a state of lacking hair when hair stop growing where they generally grow, specifically on the head. There are many kinds of baldness known, but the most common among them is 'male pattern baldness' or 'androgenic baldness', a progressive hair thinning condition. This baldness pattern develops in most men at some stage of their lives. It affects about 25% of men in their 20s and 2/3 of all men after the age of 60. Going bald is something people dread about. It takes about 15 to 20 years to go completely bald, whereas in some cases people go bald in just 5 years.

It begins, when hair starts to go thin (recede) at the front and simultaneously at the top of the head. Slowly, at the center of the scalp, a bald patch develops. This is followed by joining of the depleting front hair and the front and center bald patch on the top. This leaves only a rim of hair around the back and sides of the scalp.

Causes

Hair is made up of hair follicles that are small sacks under the skin surface. It is from these sacks that the hair grow for about 3 years, and then they shed and new ones grow. This process of hair growth, shedding and new growth continues throughout life. Some specific characteristics when men undergo baldness are:

• The hair follicle that are affected become smaller than normal
• The new hair is thinner as the follicle reduces in size
• The new hair falls pretty quickly rather than the normal time of 3 years
• Only a thin stump of hair and smaller hair follicles are left.

These changes are caused by male hormones especially testosterone. Other factors that can be responsible for baldness are heredity problems and age. Generally, the level of testosterone in people who go bald is normal, but for some reasons, affected hair follicles become sensitive to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone formed by testosterone that causes hair follicles to shrink.

Treatments

No Treatment
'No treatment' for the male pattern baldness, may seem to be absurd but, those who do not take any treatment are the ones most happy and satisfied. Becoming bald is a normal aging process in most men. There is nothing to be worried about. Only, those who find baldness distressing should go in for treatments.

Medication
There are two most prominent medicines that help counter baldness and promote hair growth - finasteride, commonly known by its trade name Propecia and minoxidil, commonly known by its trade name Regaine. Finasteride, an oral medicine, works by hampering the production of DHT from testosterone. The results are not immediately visible. It takes about 4 months to a year to notice any hair growth. On the other hand, minoxidil is a rub-on treatment that you need to apply on the scalp. People who have used it say that, it simply delays the process of balding.

Scalp Surgery
This treatment is quite expensive and the success rate varies. Therefore, it's not popular. Consultation of a specialist is necessary before undergoing such a treatment. Some of the techniques under it are hair transplantation, scalp flaps, etc.

Wigs
If nothing of the above treatment works for you and you don't want to undergo a scalp surgery too, do not be in distress because there is still a traditional solution for it - wear wigs.

No one wants to go bald. Hair are an important feature of our body that characterize our look and fashion sense. It is better to stay and eat healthy to avoid hair loss and in case, male pattern baldness catches you, embrace it boldly, and flaunt your unique style.