Hair loss at the front of the scalp can be demoralizing for a man who looks in the mirror and see someone older than he feels himself to be. Many of these men turn to treatments to slow or stop their hair loss, and in some cases even reverse the gradual recession of the hair line. No treatment is guaranteed to work perfectly for every man in every case.
Finasteride
Finasteride is the generic name for the drug sold under the monikers Proscar or Propecia. The drug was originally used as a treatment for an enlarged prostate, and researchers noticed the effects on the hair growth of test participants. Doctors prescribe Finasteride as a prostate treatment in 5mg doses, but as a hair loss treatment in 1mg doses. The drug reduces the level of the hormone dihydrotestosterone, which is responsible for male pattern baldness. Patients take Finasteride orally daily for as long as they wish to keep their hair. Once the patient terminates his use of Finasteride, hair loss will resume and any hair that survived due to treatment will quickly fall out. The drug does not work for everyone, and may cause sexual side effects such as reduced libido. Additionally, pregnant women or women who may become pregnant should not handle Finasteride as doctors have linked it to certain types of birth defects.
Minoxidil
Minoxidil is a topical treatment more traditionally sold under the name Rogaine. Though Minoxidil tends to be more effective at combating hair loss on the crown of the head, some men also experience success in stopping hair line loss. The drug was originally an oral treatment for high blood pressure until doctors noticed its effect on hair growth. Because patients apply Minoxidil topically, there are fewer risks of side effects caused by hormonal interactions. Additionally, it is safe for women to handle or even use Minoxidil if they themselves experience hair loss, though there is far less research on female use than male use. Minoxidil does not require a prescription to obtain, though more potent formulas with a higher concentration of Minoxidil are available with prescription. The effects of Minoxidil are temporary, and men will quickly lose any hair maintained or regained from its use should he stop treatment.
Transplantation
Transplantation is the only permanent treatment for hair line loss. In the past, doctors would replace "plugs" of scalp at the front of the head with plugs taken from the back of the scalp where hair was unaffected by male pattern baldness. This led to the appearance of doll hair and generally looked unnatural. Later, transplantation treatments used smaller areas of hair, moving as few as one to three hairs at a time. The procedure can be very expensive and is not necessarily available to all men. The man must have a sufficient amount of "donor hair" left in order to replace the hair he has lost. Additionally, transplants do not stop the cause of hair loss, meaning that the hair line will continue to recede after treatment. This means that men must either return for follow-up transplants, or combine transplantation with another treatment to slow hair loss.
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