Unfortunately, hair loss in men is very common, and in many cases, they go bald at an early age. But why does it happen? Mostly, male pattern baldness is genetic, which is why 1 in 4 men experience this problem before age 21, and the proportion increases continuously with age. But this is not the only cause of hair loss, as stress, smoking or a poor diet can also encourage why this problem appears. This is not the ideal situation to find yourself in, especially at a young age, but fortunately, some methods can help reduce hair loss.
Read on if you want to know vital information about this problem and find treatments that can slow down balding.
Why do men lose hair?
Most men go bald due to a hereditary condition represented by androgenetic alopecia, or male pattern baldness, which is more commonly known. The development of androgenetic alopecia depends on your predisposition and the interaction of doctrine factors, but if someone in your family is bald, chances are this could happen to you.
During puberty, you produce androgens, which are sex hormones, but in some cases they will interact with your genes and minimize the hair follicles. Your normal hair begins to fall out and is replaced by small, nonpigmented hair. Eventually, this process will occur across your whole scalp and you will go bald. The American Hair Loss Association (AHLA) reports that 95% of men experience hair loss due to androgenetic alopecia. Usually, when hair loss begins to happen, there are two most common patterns that men experience, and they are represented by:
- Hair thinning around the temples and on the top of the head, which can leave a “horseshoe” around the back and sides
- Hair loss appearing from the front of the hairline and pushing it further back
At what age do men experience hair loss?
If your crown is thinning and the hairline is receding, you might wonder why this is happening to you. However, you are not alone in this situation as many men encounter the same problem and most of them will be affected by baldness at one point or another. According to AHLA, these are the most common data regarding when men start to lose hair:
- 25% of men experience hair loss before age 21 because of a hereditary condition
- 66% of men begin to lose hair by age 35
- 85% of men have a significantly reduced amount of hair by age 50
What are the most effective treatments to fight hair loss?
Luckily, some methods will help with whatever problem you encounter as they will replace the lost hair or restore hair growth. Here are the most effective and popular treatment options.
Hair transplant surgery
There are two common types of hair transplant procedures, which are represented by follicular unit extraction (FUE) and follicular unit transplantation (FUT). FUE involves the surgeon taking individual hair follicles from the scalp and putting them back where hair no longer grows by making small holes. With the FUT procedure, doctors remove a section from an area, mainly the back, where hair still grows. Then, the section is divided into grafts, which are hundreds of tiny pieces that will be inserted on the scalp in the parts where hair is no longer growing. There are also home clinics that offer hair transplants in Chicago which combine the FUE and FUT methods to achieve better results and higher graft numbers.
Medications
If you suffer from hair loss, there are also some medications that can help you deal with this problem. There are both over-the-counter drugs and prescriptions, so you need to find out which alternative works for you, and the best way in which you can discover this is to see a doctor who will tell you exactly what you need. Minoxidil and finasteride are the two main medications that prove to stave off or treat hair loss. Finasteride is a pill that you can only receive with a prescription, but minoxidil is available over the counter. Keep in mind that you will need to have patience as the effects will not be felt overnight, and usually it takes at least six months for a treatment to show results.
Laser treatment
Laser treatment is quite a new option, but it is tolerable and safe and shows the desired results. This alternative is used to stimulate hair follicles and invigorate circulation in the scalp. Experts recommend this choice as it has visible results and is less invasive than other treatments like hair transplant surgery.
Final words
In 95% of cases, hair loss and balding are caused by androgenetic alopecia. So, if you are experiencing a receding hairline or a bald spot, chances are high that this is happening due to your genes. However, if you are careful, you can maintain your hair healthy and try as much as possible to prevent hair loss from other causes. You need to keep in mind the following aspects:
- Do regular scalp messages to stimulate hair growth
- Try to manage stress through meditation and exercises
- Have a well-balanced diet in which you eat food rich in vitamins, iron and protein
- Don t smoke, as it can increase the chances that you will deal with hair loss
By considering all these tips, you can reduce the chances that baldness will appear from other causes that are not genetic. Experiencing hair loss is not ideal, especially if it happens at a young age. But fortunately, many treatments have appeared to help you deal better with this issue.
— Provided by Ascend Agency
The news and editorial staffs of the Chicago Tribune had no role in this post’s preparation.