Hair-thinning Treatment For Men

Some 35 million men in the United States are experiencing hair loss, according to the Charles Medical Group in Boca Raton, Fla. Permanent hair loss can actually be hard to detect. It's likely that you won't notice that you're losing your hair until half of it is gone. Although this can be discouraging, there are treatments for men that can help prevent further loss and even regrow hair.

Cause

Androgenic alopecia causes 95 percent of all hair loss, according to the Foundation for Hair Restoration. In men, this condition is called male-pattern baldness. The three factors that influence male-pattern baldness are: genetic predisposal, the presence of the androgenic hormone dihyrdotestosterone and age. In men predisposed to male-pattern baldness, DHT attacks hair follicles and shrinks them. If this continues, hair will appear thinner and finer.

Effective Treatments

Two treatments approved by the Food and Drug Administration can significantly help men slow hair thinning.
Minoxidil is a topical treatment for thinning hair. The FDA has approved 2 percent and 5 percent minoxidil for men. The International Association of Hair Restoration Surgery explains that minoxidil has been studied for for more than 15 years. It should be applied once or twice a day to areas of thinning hair. Ideally, you should apply minoxidil in the morning and at night after showering when your hair is dry.
Finasteride is an FDA-approved oral treatment specifically for male-pattern baldness. It should not be used by women. The American Hair Loss Association says finasteride is "the first line of attack" in the treatment of male hair thinning. Finasteride lowers DHT levels by preventing the conversion of testosterone to DHT.

Professional Insight

Hair loss is most often seen first at the temples in the form of a receding hairline. Minoxidil and finasteride have proven effective at treating hair loss on the crown. Dr. Robert Bernstein, clinical professor of dermatology at Columbia University in New York, says that minoxidil and finasteride regrow hair on the frontal areas, as well. Dr. Bernstein encourages his patients to remain on both hair-thinning treatments for 12 months before seeking a surgical procedure.

Warning

Finasteride and minoxidil are generally considered safe, but they can have minor side effects. The Charles Medical Group reports that scalp irritation is the most common side effect of topical minoxidil. Using a lower strength minoxidil product or a moisturizing conditioner may remedy this. In men using finasteride, 2 percent have experienced erectile dysfunction and a loss of libido. These side effects are said to end when the drug is discontinued.

Theories/Speculation

According to the website Hair Site, minoxidil has been used to treat pattern baldness since the late 1980s and is the top-selling hair-loss medication in the world. But exactly how minoxidil works is still not entirely clear. Hair Site reports that male-pattern baldness decreases blood flow to the scalp. Minoxidil reportedly restores the supply of cutaneous blood flow to the scalp to promote hair growth. While this is the likely explanation, Hair Site notes that other vasodilators do not promote hair growth.