Male pattern baldness affects every two in three males. In fact, 40% experience noticeable hair loss before getting to the age of 35. However, there are some measures that you can take to prevent this from happening.
Prescription medications
Currently, there are two drugs that are clinically approved to help prevent further hair loss – Minoxidil and Finasteride. First, it is worth noting that the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is the hormone responsible for the shrinkage of hair follicles, which eventually causes them to fall out. Finasteride is taken to inhibit this hormone, while minoxidil is taken to enhance blood flow and the uptake of nutrients to the follicles. You can buy Finasteride from prescriptiondoctor.
Also, both treatments can help in regrowing some hair. However, they also include some side-effects. 1 in every 31 men suffer erectile dysfunction and reduced libido after the Finasteride treatment while minoxidil has been reported to cause skin irritation and allergic reactions.
Use a laser comb
Laser combs are the only other FDA approved hair-loss treatments apart from Finasteride and minoxidil. (Since the combs and medication aren’t available on the NHS in the UK, they have to be paid for privately.) A study conducted in 2014, in which 103 men with pattern hair loss participated, found that by applying a laser comb across the scalp thrice a week, their hair density increased significantly after 26 weeks. Even though the exact way the work of the comb hasn’t yet been fully established, it is believed that low-power lasers do have an antioxidant effect on hair follicles.
Replace your hair products
It has been suggested that most gels and various styling products can lead to hair loss. This is because the chemicals present in these products remain on the scalp and get trapped in the follicles and this prevents the hair from growing out. Therefore it is important to ensure that you not only use a rational amount of gel but also consider using styling products that are more natural and contain fewer chemicals.
Avoid hot showers
Excessively hot showers can result in damage to your scalp as they strip away the essential oils that help to maintain it. This usually leads to dryness and inflammation. Even though there is no evidence that directly links hot showers to hair loss, there are some who believe that inflammation of the scalp leads to the miniaturization of the hair follicles and also the thinning of hair.
Switch to anti-DHT shampoosÂ
When it comes to hair loss, DHT is mainly responsible. Fortunately, there are some shampoos that can help to avoid this. Look for products that contain 1-2% ketoconazole. Just like Finasteride, Ketoconazole inhibits the conversion of testosterone to DHT. But since you apply Ketoconazole primarily to the scalp, one doesn’t suffer the negative sexual side-effects associated with Finasteride.
Try scalp massage
A number of studies have shown that massaging the scalp potentially increases hair density by enhancing the circulation of blood to the scalp and follicles. In addition, it increases the activity of genes that encourage hair growth. An added benefit of scalp massage is that it minimizes stress levels, which is another leading cause of hair loss.
Get a transplant
In case you’ve already undergone some major hair loss, then getting a transplant might be your best solution. Normally, before hair loss, our heads have around 100,000 hairs. However, we only need a minimum of 25,000 hairs to achieve the appearance of a full head of hair. The process of hair transplant involves getting follicles of hair from the DHT resistant “donor” regions, which are located at the sides and back of the head and then implanting them on to the scalp. The techniques of hair transplants vary; however, modern methods utilize hair stem cells to promote regrowing of hair in the donor area, which allows for repeated transplantation if needed.
