Usually, people lose up to 100 strands of hair in a day. Think of it as normal hair loss. They fall out and grow back, making it a cycle. But gradually, most men start to notice that they’re losing more hair than normal nor is it growing back. Men sometimes mistaken male pattern baldness for common day hair loss.
Male pattern baldness, also called androgenic alopecia, is the common type of hair loss that develops in most men. It generally takes 15-25 years to go bald, but can be quicker. At first, the hair begins to thin at the sides and then the hair becomes thin on the top of the head. A bald patch eventually develops in the middle of the scalp. According to the National Library of Medicine U.S., more than 50% of men over the age of 50 will be affected by male pattern baldness to a certain extent.
What causes male pattern baldness?
Most men suffer from some sort of hair loss in their lifetime, it can happen for different reasons:
- Having a history of baldness in the family
- Having Iron deficiency can result in male pattern baldness
- Suffering from Scalp infections
- Taking excessive stress
- Smoking
- Suffering from thyroid problem
- Having Nutrition inadequacy contributes to male pattern baldness
- Weakening of growth cycle begins to weaken and hair follicle shrinks, producing shorter or finer strands of hair
Are there any risks to hair loss?
Male pattern baldness normally isn’t a sign of a serious problem, but it is common in people suffering from conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, an enlarged prostate or prostate cancer.
If you notice hair to fall out more than usual, talk to the doctor to rule out a solution for the problem.
Effective techniques to address male pattern baldness
Many treatments are available for men who are unhappy with the way they look and desire a head full of hair.
Wigs or hairpieces
Wigs can help in covering thinning hair, receding hairlines and complete baldness. Wigs are available in a variety of styles, textures, colors. To look natural, choose wig colors, styles and textures that look similar to your original hair.
Hairstyles
Men can also hide hair loss with the right haircut or hairstyle. Hairstylist can give a creative cut that will make thinning hair look voluminous.
Finasteride
A medication that slows hair loss in some men, which blocks the production of the male hormone responsible for hair loss. Take finasteride only after consulting an expert.
Lifestyle Changes
Most of the hair care treatments demands minor lifestyle changes:
- Take a balanced diet with proteins, minerals and vitamins to reduce the thinning of hair. Include meats, vegetables, fruits, whole grains in the diet as they are rich in protein, zinc, vitamin C, iron and vitamin A, all of which are essential for hair growth.
- Creating a healthy environment by spending more time in nature (no smoking)
- Apply onion juice as it helps in hair regrowth
- Massaging the scalp with eggs can be helpful as a natural remedy for male pattern baldness
- Avoid shampoos with harsh chemicals
- Intake Biotin supplements
Hair Transplants
Undergoing hair transplant surgery, a surgical procedure that removes hair from areas of the scalp that have active hair growth and implanting them to balding or thinning areas of the scalp. Hair transplant surgery looks more natural and it’s permanent.
How is hair transplant performed?
After properly cleaning the scalp, a surgeon uses a small needle to numb an area of the head with local anesthesia.
The two main techniques are used to obtain follicles for transplantation: Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE).
In FUT:
- A scalpel is put-to-use to cut out a strip of scalp from the back of the head, which is then closed with stitches.
- Thereafter, the surgeon separates the removed portion of the scalp into sections using a magnifying lens and sharp surgical knife.
- Once implanted, these sections will help attain natural-looking hair growth
In FUE:
- The hair follicles are cut out directly from the back of the head via hundreds to thousands of tiny punch incisions.
- In one treatment session, the surgeon may transplant hundreds to even thousands of hair
- After this, the graft or bandages will cover the scalp for a few days.
The hair transplant surgery may take four hours or more. The stitches will be removed after 10 days of the surgery.
One may require up to three or four sessions to achieve the head full of hair. Sessions take place several months apart to allow each transplant to heal fully.
Why is hair transplant surgery more beneficial than other methods?
As mentioned above, there are many treatment options available to treat male pattern baldness. But, these treatments take a long time to show desired results. However, in certain cases, it may not work.
Hair transplantation is an effective option that ensures hair growth in patches of baldness or thinning hair.
There are some benefits of undergoing hair transplantation surgery:
- No viable scars post-procedure
- Get Permanent results
- Get a natural look appearance
- Minimal maintenance is required after surgery
- It’s a one time process and it’s not required to visit the doctor often after the treatment
Can hair loss be prevented?
The following tips can help prevent hair loss:
- Massage the hair gently with oil on a regular basis
- Let the doctor know about medications and supplements you take that might cause hair loss
- Visit a dermatologist who can diagnose thoroughly
- Protect the hair from sunlight or other sources of ultraviolet light, by covering the hair with a scarf or any cloth.
- Stop smoking as it can increase the risk of losing more hair
- Reduce stress by participating in activities like walking, listening to calm music and enjoying more quiet time.
Conclusion
To undergo an effective treatment for male pattern baldness, it is important to see a board-certified dermatologist and seek advice on the treatment options available and are best suited to treat male pattern baldness. It is essential to visit the doctor before adopting any of the hair loss treatments. In some cases, medications may prevent further hair loss or surgeon can transplant the hair or reduce the area of bald skin.
About The Author
Dan Taylor
Dan is responsible for content marketing and branding at GuestPostBlogging. He writes about topics related to startup naming, branding and entrepreneurship.
