Male Pattern Baldness, sometimes called androgenetic alopecia, is typically manifested as hair loss from the top of the head, whilst growth continues at the back and sides. The ‘horseshoe’ effect is the most common pattern, gradually spreading backwards to leave little or no hair on the top of the head, just a rim of hair around the back and sides. Usually given time, this rim will also thin out and disappear completely.
Male pattern baldness is dependent on the interaction of three factors: age, a genetic pre-disposition, and male hormones. This hair loss may begin as early as the teenage years and gradually worsens with time.
Just as our genes determine a myriad of factors, including our sex, height and skin color, they also determine the characteristics of our hair, including whether or not we will suffer from greying or hair loss at some point in our lives. Furthermore, the extent of the area affected by hair loss is often dependent on the inheritance from one or both parents. In other words if you have a family history of hair loss, it is highly likely that you will also suffer from the condition at some stage.
Early hair loss is a warning sign that your hormones are out of balance. This imbalance is often caused by the excess levels of the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) that poison the hair follicles on the top of your head, causing loss of hair and eventually baldness. While killing your scalp hair, excess DHT can also cause more hair than is normal to grow on the rest of your body, and can cause other more serious health problems as you get older.
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There are a number of treatments available that range from the medicinal to the surgical for male pattern baldness, and treatments often work well in most cases.
Medicinal treatments include FDA approved medications like finasteride (trade name Propecia) and minoxidil (trade name Regaine). Both provide effective short-term relief from baldness and have been a popular baldness remedy for years. Rogaine is a topical solution that has proven to be one of many effective baldness treatments in that it helps follicle regrowth but works for only about 60% of all patients. Propecia, on the other hand, is very effective in stemming existing hair loss but is most powerful when used in the early stages of male-pattern hair loss and baldness. Unfortunately both medications are temporary in nature, as results cease once use of the medication has been discontinued.
Techniques such as hair transplantation, scalp flaps, and other procedures have been used for a number of years. Success rates vary and a specialist opinion is needed if surgery is considered and can be expensive.
There are some non-surgical and non-medical ways to cover baldness for people not having money for expensive treatments. Wigs and hairpieces are quite effective here.
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