There are different types of causes of hair loss in men. It could be genetic, autoimmune or self-inflicted. These cases occur as different types in men and at varying degrees.
Not all men are alike and some are more susceptible to baldness than others. Hormones are spread throughout the body in one’s blood and are most responsible for the shrinkage of its hair follicles. The hormones induce the hair follicles to become so tiny that it is unable to reinstate the hair shed. These follicles do not die however; they just cannot perform their normal functions.
This occurrence is most commonly evident when a man is in his late twenties to early thirties, although it can start as early as the late teenage years. It begins with a recession of the front hairline as well as the hair in the vertex region. After a while these two regions combine to form a completely bald area that resembles a horseshoe type shape. The only remaining hair would be the lower side portions as well as the back of the head. Also, the lingering hair that remains will not regenerate as rapidly as before.
Hair loss prevention
Male pattern baldness cannot be totally prevented as it is a genetic condition, though there are many remedies to treat it. What the right one is depends on the current state of one’s condition as well as the severity of its onset.
Home remedies
There are different reactions as to how a person is affected by hair loss. The main thing to understand is that it is a common occurrence in up to 70% of all men. Others are going through the same thing as well. Those that want to avoid the expenses necessary to mask it might want to expedite the condition and shave off all the hair entirely. There are however, ways to prolong the presence of existing hair through certain methods.
It should be remembered that hair loss is not a disease but a normal occurrence in the male body as one progress in age. To try to regain it is unnatural and there are costs both financially, physically and mentally that come with this ordeal.
Medication
Topical treatments such as monoxidil can be used to treat a balding scalp. It is lathered twice a day and has been proven to encourage hair growth in some men. This can be acquired without a prescription and must be used continuously to enjoy its effects.
An orally ingested remedy is called finasteride. It effectively works to prevent testosterone and the enzyme 5-alpha reductase from fusing together to form dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the hormone responsible for causing the hair follicles to shrink. Again, it must be used continuously for its effects to be felt. Stopping its use will cause the alopecia to progress as how it should have if finasteride was not taken.
Surgical methods
There are different types of surgery to treat hair loss. The follicular unit transplantation method and its more refined version, the follicular unit extraction method are popular means to counteract the condition. Scalp reduction is another means to surgically hide a bald spot. Then there is flap-surgery. This method increases the area in the scalp where there is still hair by expanding it.
Though not entirely a surgical procedure in the sense that it does not involve the use of a scalpel or anything that would require a strong anesthetic, a scalp micropigmentation procedure is also possible to address hair loss. Our practitioners carefully place specially formulated pigments throughout a patient’s scalp in a pre-arranged pattern to resemble hair that has just been shaved. The resulting appearance is of a full head of shaven hair.