Hair loss is very common. The American Hair Loss Association reports that by the age of 35, two-thirds of American men will have experienced some degree of visible hair loss. About 25 percent of American men will experience hair loss before their 21st birthday. In an era that can cure fatal diseases and treat cancer, the science of non-surgical hair restoration remains imperfect. The good news is, there are several safe and effective hair thinning treatments that can help prevent further loss and regrow hair that has been lost.
Cause
The American Hair Loss Association reports that "androgenic alopecia" or male-pattern baldness causes 95 percent of hair loss cases. Male-pattern baldness is a progressive and genetic condition. The male hormone, dihydrotestosterone, attacks hair follicles that are programmed to shed and thin from excess levels of the hormone. Hair follicles become thinner and thinner and hairs become finer and finer if this condition is not slowed.
Effective Treatments
Finasteride is considered the "first line of attack" or defense for adult males starting to treat their thinning hair by the American Hair Loss association. Finasteride lowers dihydrotestosterone levels and prevents hairs from shedding prematurely and thinning thereafter. It is FDA approved and only for men. Finasteride should be taken indefinitely.
Minoxidil is another FDA approved treatment for thinning hair in men. HairSite reports that minoxidil promotes hair growth by increasing cutaneous blood flow to the scalp. It should be applied two times a day to areas of thinning hair. Like finasteride, minoxidil should be taken indefinitely.
Ketoconazole shampoo, unlike most shampoos formulated for hair loss, has been clinically proven to help treat thinning hair in men. In the Belgian study "Ketoconazole: Eeffect of Long-Term Use in Androgenic Alopecia," published in the 1998 issue of the "Journal of Dermatology," researchers concluded that ketoconazole increased hair density as much as 2 percent minoxidil. Scientists concluded that ketoconazole shampoo could be valuable in the long-term treatment of androgenic alopecia.
Expert Insight
It is often hard to tell if your hair loss is actually male pattern thinning or just normal hair shedding. Hair restoration surgeon Dr. Glenn Charles, senior member of the American Hair Loss Association, states that you will likely not notice thin or balding areas of the scalp until 50 percent of the hair has already been lost. Male pattern thinning is characterized by otherwise normal healthy hairs shedding and being replaced by thinner finer hairs, not just by hair shedding.
Dr. Charles gives some basic suggestions to treat thinning hair. Wash your hair daily with a mild shampoo as dirty hair looks flatter than less dense than clean hair. Do not vigorously dry your hair with a towel, instead pat your hair until it is dry. Use a brush with soft bristles and do not pull on any tangled hair.
Warning
Minoxidil and finasteride are generally well-tolerated but side-effects may occur.
Charlesmedical.com reports that 2 percent of finasteride users experienced sexual effects such as erectile dysfunction and loss of libido. When the treatment was discontinued, these side effects ceased. The most common side-effect of minoxidil was itchy scalp. Both finasteride and minoxidil need to be used indefinitely or your previous rate of hair thinning will resume and you may lose any hair that you have regrown from the treatments.
Permanent Solution
While minoxidil, finasteride and ketoconazole shampoo should be slow hair thinning in men, the only "foolproof" solution is a hair restoration surgery. Dr. Glenn Charles details this procedure on Charlesmedical.com. Hairs that are genetically programmed to withstand dihydrotestostone are taken from the back of the head or an area called the "donor area" and placed in thinning or bald areas. These hairs will begin to grow as and will not thin because they not susceptible to male pattern baldness. They will shed like normal healthy hairs and regrow to their normal density. The full visual result of a hair transplant may up to a year.
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