Male Pattern Baldness - Causes & Treatments

1. Hormones -

For the most part, this form of hair loss is caused by an androgen hormone known as dihydrotestosterone.

When present in the right quantities, androgen significantly contributes towards male growth. Not only does it play an essential role in a person is sexual development prior to birth, but it can also bring about the different bodily changes associated with puberty.

Having said that, when available in large quantities, dihydrotestosterone can weaken one's hair follicles, which in turn can aggressively shorten the strand's lifespan and create shorter, finer hair. This eventually leads to the extreme loss of hair.

2. Genes -

The type of genes we have can determine everything from how we look to how our body functions. The AR gene is one such example. Simply put, this gene works by instructing the body to create a protein known as an androgen receptor. This receptor enables the body to respond to the dihydrotestosterone hormone appropriately.

Interestingly, individuals who experience male pattern baldness showcase different variations of the AR gene - each of which is passed down from generation to generation. These variations heighten the protein activity, and this eventually leads to the weakening of one is hair follicles.

3. Other Diseases -

While more research is required for the same, many scientists believe that a variety of medical conditions like prostate cancer and coronary heart disease, for example, could result in the development of male pattern baldness. This is primarily due to the elevated levels of dihydrotestosterone which generally does occur during this time.

1. Topical Minoxidil

Topical Minoxidil is a prescription drug. It is used reduce hair loss in those suffering from androgenetic alopecia. Having said that, this treatment needs to be followed consistently for three to four months for results to show and should be used only under the supervision of a dermatologist.

A few of the side effects that a person can encounter when applying this treatment are as follows:

2.Oral Finasteride

This is a prescription pill that can be taken daily to tackle hair loss only as per a dermatologist instructions. While it is often used to reduce hair fall, in certain instances, the treatment can also be used to one is enhance hair growth. Unfortunately, the medication is not a fast-acting one and can take up to 3 months to display substantial results. Furthermore, the drug is less likely to work on individuals over 60 years of age.

In most cases, side effects do not occur when ingesting this medicine. Having said that, the few that may occur are as follows:

3. Hair Transplant Surgery

Also known as restoration surgery, this procedure is a temporary solution to male pattern baldness. It is generally carried out on individuals with bald spots at the top of their heads and hair along the base of the scalp.

The side effects that typically accompany this surgery are as follows:

During the treatment, the surgeon removes the hair follicles from a location with good growth and transplants the same into the bald areas on one is head. In certain instances, if the bald spot is extremely large, the surgeon may remove an entire strip of skin containing several hair follicles and will late place them in the affected region. The entire process is quite an extensive one and can take several sessions to gain the desired results. The individual is sedated during the procedure and is later given painkillers to ease the pain.

4. Laser Therapy

This is by far the least common option of the lot. The treatment involves the use of low-level lasers to enhance the density of one is hair. Having said that, more research is required to understand the long-term effects of this procedure.

Maintaining a healthy and stress-free lifestyle and nutritious meals are also very important for optimal hair care

We do hope this article gave you all the information you need!