Hair loss is a condition that will become a very real event for a majority of men. Some will experience it later and some much earlier.
Statistics show that about seventy percent of men in their late twenties to their early thirties experience the onset of androgenic alopecia or male pattern baldness. The recession of one’s hairline beginning at the top of the forehead working its way to the back is a main indicator. It can also be the thinning of hair in certain areas of the scalp.
Another way to know if one is experiencing hair loss is if the vertex area of the crown of the head is beginning to show the scalp. The hair loss usually occurs in an outward circular fashion that progresses toward the front, sides and back of the head. Lastly and one of the most common signs is the receding of one’s hairline from the sides of the temples resulting in an M-shaped hairline.
Knowing the signs of hair loss is helpful to know how to treat it. One might want to take a step further by understanding what causes it. Genetics is the largest contributor of male pattern baldness cases. One is able to receive the “baldness gene” from the maternal side of his family. This gene is found in the X-chromosome which is can be passed on through one’s mother.
Another cause of hair loss is stress. Men who are regularly anxious and restless can create hormonal imbalances in their body. It could lead to exhaustion and poor nutrition. An unhealthy lifestyle through lack of sleep, lousy diet, excessive alcohol intake and smoking can rob one’s hair of nutrients essential for its growth and vitality.
Scientifically, hair loss occurs when testosterone binds with the 5-alpha reductase enzyme. This produces dihydrotestosterone (DHT) that helps maintain and develop male reproductive organs. A large amount of DHT causes shrinkage in one’s hair follicles and ultimately results in hair loss.
What then are the best ways to treat alopecia if genetics and lifestyle are found to be its main causes? One can consider incorporating healthy and nourishing food, rich in Vitamin B into their diet. Fish, eggs, spinach and other green leafy vegetables are packed with this vitamin that encourages healthy hair growth. Proper care and maintenance to one’s scalp may serve as a next step. Try to encourage blood flow for easy distribution of nutrients to the hair follicles by massaging the scalp through laser light therapy. The use of shampoo containing nioxin is specifically manufactured to make hair look healthy and vibrant.
It is true that a healthy diet coupled with proper care and maintenance might not be all that is required to prevent hair loss. Medication in the form of Propecia (Finasteride) is used to block the production of DHT. Rogaine (Minoxidil) is used to slow down the onset of alopecia. Although both are the only approved drugs by the Food and Drug Administration, they also come with potential side effects. Finestride may cause impotence while Minoxidil users might experience chest pains. Both require lifetime use and will experience regression once the medication is discontinued.
Surgery might be the last step to treating hair loss. The strip method is an option where a certain patch of hair is surgically extracted from a healthy donor area and re-rooted follicle by follicle unto the affected space. There is also the more sophisticated version of FUE or follicular unit extraction that can extract individual hair follicles from the healthy areas of the patient: scalp, facial and body. This is to be implanted unto the balding portion.
The scalp micropigmentation (SMP) procedure is also an effective way to treat hair loss because it creates an illusion of growth unto one’s scalp. It dispels the worry of hair loss because there is no hair that is there in the first place. What it does is to place carefully designed pigments unto one’s scalp to produce an effect of a full head of hair. One simply has to keep his scalp clean and moisturized to preserve the benefits of SMP.
