Male Pattern Baldness involves thinning crowns and receding hairlines, both of which are common symptoms of hereditary hair loss. The most prevalent cause of hair loss in males is androgenic alopecia, often known as Male Pattern Baldness or hereditary hair loss. It is also the most common hair problem treated by the hair transplant specialists and surgeons.
In this article we will discuss some of the most commonly asked questions related to male pattern hair loss. The information incorporated from taking insights from Dr. Shilpi Bhadani, a leading plastic surgeon known for offering the best treatment for Male Pattern Hair Loss in Gurgaon will make this post worth reading.
What is the Science Behind Male Pattern Hair Loss?
The influence of male hormones on genetically predisposed hair follicles (hereditary follicles passed down via your family) causes this form of hair loss. An enzyme called ‘5-alpha reductase’ converts the male hormone ‘testosterone’ (‘DHT’) into the androgen ‘Dihydrotestosterone’ (‘DHT’) inside these hair follicles. The DHT produced during this process stops new hair cells from developing, resulting in hair loss and, in some cases, baldness.
What Causes Hair Loss in Men?
Certain lifestyle choices, such as excessive stress or poor mental health, can cause male pattern hair loss.
- You might get acute telogen effluvium after a stressful incident. Around 85 percent of our hair follicles in a normal healthy person’s scalp are in a growth phase (anagen) and 15 percent are in a resting phase (telogen). When you are shocked, up to 70% of your hair follicles might enter a resting (telogen hair) condition. If you are constantly agitated, you may get persistent telogen effluvium and hair loss over time.
- To restore healthy hair following telogen effluvium, identify the factors that produced the reaction and focus on healthy behaviors such as sufficient hydration and adequate sleep.
- Other reasons that lead to hair loss include trichotillomania, fungal infections, nutritional inadequacies, and other underlying medical disorders.
- Furthermore, food might have an impact on general hair health. Patients with poor diets frequently lack the nutrients necessary for good hair development.
- To support healthy hair development, include fatty fish, eggs, leafy greens, fruit, and nuts in your diet. Furthermore, protein powders or high levels of testosterone found in bodybuilding supplements might exacerbate hair loss by increasing susceptibility to androgens.
- According to current clinical studies, creatine supplements can raise dihydrotestosterone levels in the circulation, which can lead to weaker hair follicles.
What are the Types of Hair Loss in Men?
There are several forms of male hair loss. Male pattern baldness, on the other hand, is the most frequent kind in men, affecting up to 70% of men by the age of 60. Male pattern hair loss includes thinning hair at the top of the head and a receding hairline.
Male hair loss is divided into the following types:
- Male pattern hair loss
- Alopecia areata (hair loss)
- Telogen effluvium hair loss.
- Alopecia due to traction
What are the Treatments for Hair Loss for Males?
Advanced hair clinics will first provide non-surgical therapies for men who are experiencing hair loss. Among the non-surgical therapy alternatives are:
- Minoxidil: Minoxidil is a hair loss therapy that comes in the form of a foam or a liquid solution that men may apply to their hair and scalp twice a day.
Minoxidil may help decrease the rate of hair loss and enhance hair regeneration by doing the following:
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- Follicle miniaturization can be reversed.
- Stimulating hair follicles to transition from a resting to a growing condition.
- Extending the follicle’s development phase.
- Finasteride: Finasteride acts by inhibiting the 5-reductase enzyme, which turns testosterone into DHT. Finasteride lowers the action of DHT on the hair follicles by reducing DHT levels in the scalp, which reverses hair thinning and helps to stabilize any additional hair loss.
Important Points to Consider
- If you are presently taking Minoxidil and/or Finasteride and have successfully stabilized your hair loss, you may want to consider having a hair transplant treatment to restore hair in places where you have lost it.
- Patients who are actively losing hair at an uncontrollable rate are sadly not candidates for hair transplant surgery and should consider taking one or both of the aforementioned drugs before scheduling surgery.
- This is due to the fact that hair transplant surgery recreates hair in a new region, which might be permanent. If the underlying cause of hair loss in the remainder of the scalp is not addressed, patients may be left with only their transplanted hair and no hair on the rest of their scalp.