Male pattern baldness is the second name of Androgenic Alopecia. Male pattern alopecia is the most common type of hair loss in men. Every second man has pattern alopecia at some stage of his life.
Statistics
According to the survey of the United States National Library of Medicine, pattern baldness cause hair loss to approximately 50 million men. Their survey also reports, more than 50 percent of men will defiantly have some degree of hair loss after the age of 50.
Causes
One of the major causes of male pattern baldness is genetics. Environmental factors also play a vital role in hair loss. It is a popular saying, genetics loads the gun and surroundings pull the trigger. Hair loss transfers from generation to generation through genetics. If someone’s having a rich family history of baldness, it is a major possibility that he will also have.
That is not all, researchers are still finding the yet unknown factors which also contribute to the hair loss. But as much as researchers are able to get information about pattern baldness, they believe that hair loss is due to hormones which are known as androgens. If we go more in-depth the root cause is known as dihydrotestosterone.
Medical professionals are researching any possible connection between androgenetic alopecia and other medical conditions, such as prostate cancer and heart disease. Doctors believe that there might be a relation between these disorders with the androgen levels.
It would be better to visit your doctor if hair started falling after any medication or situation.
At Risk
Male pattern hair loss can hit you at any stage of your life. It can even start in the teenage, but in most cases, it occurs in adult men. In male pattern hair loss, genetics play a vital role. The risk increases if you have a close relative with male pattern hair loss especially on the maternal side.
Symptoms
Normal adult head has round about 100,000 – 150,000 hair. Regularly, approximately 100 – 150 hair is lost and re-grown. Every hair has a genetic period that incorporates development, shedding, and resting.
At the point when there is a blend of enthusiastic strife, poor sustenance, drugs, and ailment would all be able to cause day by day hair loss.
Basically, it starts with the thinning of hair and then it turns into hair loss. Hair loss usually starts from the hairline or from the top of the head. Some men might get single bald spot other will experience receding hairline. If hair loss continues, soon hairline will turn into “M” shape.
If hairline starts moving back, it will continue until all or most of the hair is lost.
Cure
Treatment is not the only solution for hair loss, especially for the initial hair loss. If hair loss is due to other medial conational or hair baldness has gone so far that patient cannot bear it anymore, so in such cases medical treatment is available.
Things which you can follow to slow down hair falling process are mentioned below
- Wigs: wigs can help you to cover your thin hairs, receding hairlines, and even complete baldness. Wigs are available in verities of styles, colors, and textures. To feel original, choose wig color, style according to your original hairs.
- Hairstyle: Another thing which can help you in hiding baldness, is the hairstyle. A hairstyle can play a key role. Ask barber or hairstylist to give a suitable haircut or hairstyle, which helps in making thin hair look healthier.
- Minoxidil: When it comes to the proper treatment or medication, nothing more effective than Minoxidil is discovered until now. Minoxidil does not permanently cure the hair loss, it just slows down the process.
Read Also: Top 5 Most Popular Minoxidil Products
Minoxidil usually takes 4-6 months to show proper results. The major disadvantage to this medication is, it will restart the hair losing process same from where it was stopped. You need to be a regular user of this topical product.
- Finasteride: Finasteride is available in the form of a pill, it is an oral medication. Finasteride helps to slow down the baldness process by stopping the production of the male hormone. It stops those hormone productions which are responsible for hair loss.
It also works the same as Minoxidil, when medication is stopped, hair falling process restarts. In normal condition, Finasteride takes almost 3 to 6 months to show some result. However, it has many side effects, such as itching, rash, swelling of lips, swelling of face and pain in testicles.
- Hair Transplantation: Last but not least, hair transplantation, it is the most expensive and risky at the same time. Hair transplantation is a process in which hairs from the scalp are removed and then transplanted into the balding area. Artificial hairs are also offered which have more life as compare to the other ones.
This also carries the risk of scarring and infection alongside with multiple treatments. But the major advantages to the hair transplantation is that they are permanent and they look more real.
