50% of men over the age of 50 are affected by male pattern baldness. It’s the most common type of hair loss in men, occurring as a man ages and their hormone levels change.
A hair’s life cycle starts to weaken in the case of male pattern baldness, with the follicles shrinking. The hair that these follicles produce is then shorter and finer, until finally the life cycle comes to an end and the hair that is shed is not replaced.
Male pattern baldness is inherited and prevention isn’t always possible.
But there are ways that could slow down male pattern baldness.
Drug treatments
Minoxidil and finasteride are the two clinically proven drugs that can treat male pattern baldness, slowing further hair loss and even resulting in some regrowth. Finasteride is a pill that’s taken daily, whereas minoxidil is liquid or foam applied to the scalp. It can take years to see results using these drugs and both have potential side effects, so it’s important to do your research into these treatments.
Stop smoking
If you smoke and you’re concerned about your hair thinning, you might be interested to know that research suggests nicotine and related chemicals could speed up hair loss.
Massage your scalp
By increasing blood flow and stimulating hair follicles, research suggests that scalp massages could help with hair loss. The healthy men involved in the study were left with thicker hair after receiving a 4 minute scalp massage a day for 24 weeks.
Relaxing and useful, bonus.
Look at your diet
It may be worth introducing a Mediterranean diet since research has found that a diet rich in raw vegetables and fresh herbs could potentially slow down the onset of male pattern baldness.
Use specialist shampoo
There are shampoos out there specifically designed to target hair loss. The sex hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) can contribute to hair loss and so shampoos have been developed to block DHT.
Laser comb
Laser therapy is usually applied to the scalp 2 - 3 times a week, with the length of time depending on the device. Research that involved 103 men found that using a laser comb 3 times a week for 26 weeks resulted in an increase in hair density.
What’s more, laser combs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for safety and effectiveness.
Slowing down hair loss isn’t always enough for some. If you’re going bald you can experience a significant dip in confidence that can have a fundamental impact on how you live your life.
So, it may be that you want a solution that’s more long term. A hair transplant is considered permanent and can restore your hair. It can, however, be a costly procedure in the UK which is why so many opt to go abroad for the procedure, with Turkey known to be a hotspot.
If you’d like to know more about getting a hair transplant, give us a call today on +(44) 0121 288 4552.
