Here’s everything you need to know about Male pattern baldness and how to stop it in its tracks

What is male pattern baldness? 

Male pattern baldness, also known as androgenic alopecia, is one the most common type of Hair loss experienced by men. As reported by the U.S.National Library of Medicine (NLM), more than 50 percent of all men over 50 will experience some degree of male pattern baldness. It can even begin in your late teens or early twenties. The good news is that there are plenty of male pattern baldness treatment options you can try to prevent hair fall.                  

What causes male pattern baldness? 

To better comprehend what’s going on, let’s start with the main reasons why men lose their hair. Each hair on your head has a growth cycle. With male pattern baldness, the hair follicle shrinks, and this growth cycle starts to weaken, thus resulting in the production of shorter and finer hair strands. Each hair’s growth cycle eventually comes to an end, and no new hair can grow in its place. If you have a family history of male pattern baldness, you are more likely to experience hair loss.  

What are the symptoms of male pattern baldness?

Are you wondering how to identify if you have male pattern baldness? If your hair loss begins at the temples or the crown of your head, you may have male pattern baldness. Your hairline progressively moves backward (recedes) and forms an “M” shape. A circular area on the back of the head, known as the vertex, often thins and expands in size over time. Eventually, your hair becomes finer, shorter, and thinner, and creates a U-shaped or horseshoe pattern of hair around the sides of the head, leading to a bald area on the back of your head.

What is the best treatment for male pattern baldness? 

Is male pattern baldness affecting your confidence and self-esteem? Thankfully, there are plenty of male pattern treatment options available on the market to help you tackle this issue. Here are my top male pattern baldness treatment recommendations:

• Minoxidil

Minoxidil, also known as Rogaine, is a topical medication applied to the scalp. It slows hair loss for some men and stimulates the hair follicles to grow new hair. This male pattern baldness treatment takes about four months to one year to produce visible results. Since the results fade away if you stop the medication, it must be used indefinitely to preserve its effects.

• Finasteride

Finasteride, also known as Propecia or Proscar, is an oral medication that treats or prevents hair loss in some men. This male pattern baldness treatment works by blocking the production of the male hormone responsible for hair loss. However, like Minoxidil, when you stop taking finasteride, your may start experiencing hair loss.

• Hair transplantation

Hair transplantation is an excellent male pattern baldness treatment that gives permanent results. The treatment involves removing hair from areas of the scalp that have active hair growth. These are then transplanted into thinning or balding areas of your scalp.

• Laser therapy

Laser therapy using red light at a wavelength of 660 nanometers may increase hair growth in some people and reduce male pattern baldness. This procedure is non-invasive and painless.

• PRP

This male pattern baldness treatment works wonders in slowing down the process of receding hairline. PRP (platelet-rich plasma) therapy is a three-step medical treatment in which a person’s blood is drawn, processed, and then injected into the scalp to prevent hair loss. PRP injections trigger natural hair growth and maintain it by increasing the blood supply to the hair follicle. They also increase the thickness of the hair shaft. The treatment is non-invasive and has zero downtime.

 If you want to learn more about male pattern baldness treatment options, schedule a consultation with me here.

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