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Male Hair Loss Causes and Treatments - Understanding Male Pattern Baldness
By Julie-Ann Amos
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.
About the Author
Julie-Ann Amos is a freelance writer for Hair-Loss-Adviser.com, a consumer guide
on hair
loss prevention and
medical
hair restoration. She has done extensive research to find the
best hair loss treatment
currently available.
Copyright 2006 Hair-Loss-Adviser.com
Permission is granted to publish this article on your site if the author's
byline is included and all links are hyperlinked
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