Health Information

When asked to picture a man in his late fifties most of us would bring to mind a balding, slightly overweight character. Sadly the odds are that we would be close to the mark as most men develop at least one type of baldness as they get older. Hair can live for about five years but, as there thousands of hairs on the head, we can lose an enormous amount each and every day and hardly notice. Many men bald in a specific way referred to as male pattern baldness.

Androgenetic alopecia is the correct medical terminology for the kind of hair loss which is more commonly known as Male pattern baldness (MPB) (alopecia is the more general medical name for hair loss). It would appear that the cause of MPB is dihydrotestosterone, a hormone that has an effect upon the scalp’s hair follicles.

Often very alarming, and sometimes somewhat upsetting, the onset of MPB at an early age can come as something of a shock for anybody no matter how prepared you are. Unfortunately it is not uncommon for men of around 20 to notice the early signs of MPB such as a receding hair line. Androgenetic alopecia can start at any time but commonly between the ages of 20 - 50. Sadly, if your father developed MPB at an early age it is highly likely that the same will happen to you as the problem is genetic.

The need to look good has always been important but today’s society seems to be focused on the need to look young and healthy at all times. One of the most obvious signs of aging, besides wrinkles, is male pattern baldness. It should, therefore, come as little surprise that the industry involved hair loss is massive. Luckily the drug companies are always looking for a miracle cure for baldness and, happily, there are a few things that we can do to combat MPB.

There are only really three options when it comes to treating male pattern baldness. As, strictly speaking, it is not a medical condition, there are not that many therapies available. However there are two medical treatments that halt the progression of MPB. Other options include cosmetic surgery and, of course, the use of a wig.

Minoxidil is an incredible topical application that really does help reduce the ongoing effects of androgenetic alopecia. Most people interested in MPB will be more familiar with the product that use this amazing ingredient, Rogaine. Annoyingly it does not really make the hair grow back and you need to keep on using it continually for it to stop hair loss.

Another chemical, Finasteride, halts hair loss and MPB by stoping the bodies production of dihydrotestosterone. Found in products such as Proscar and Propecia, Finasteride is an oral medication. Unfortunately, just like with Minoxidil, if you stop taking it the hair loss starts again.

Cosmetic surgery has come on in leaps and bounds in the last few decades and this is especially so in relation to cosmetic surgery for male pattern baldness. If you are lucky enough to be able to afford this type of treatment you will find that the results are often spectacular. Unfortunately you need to take great care to ensure that you use a cosmetic surgeon who has an exemplary reputation because there is always an element of risk with such treatments.

The last treatment for male pattern baldness that we shall investigate is not really a treatment, rather, it is a solution to a problem. Wigs have been available for thousands of years and are still a popular solution to hair loss. Available as smaller hair pieces it is important that you do not opt for the cheapest wigs. Good quality wigs are made from real hair and are therefore rather expensive. However the results are spectacular.

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