Male Hair Loss
HAIR LOSS IN MEN
Hair loss is one of the main causes of anxiety and worry in men. A receding hairline or the arrival of a bald patch can have a dramatic effect on men’s confidence and self-image.
Male pattern baldness occurs in a distinct way. Hair may start to disappear from the temples and the crown of the head at any time. For a few men this process starts as early as the later teenage years, but for most it happens in their late 20s and early 30s. A little thinning of the hair may be noticeable first, followed by wider hair loss allowing more of the scalp to become visible.
Some men aren’t troubled by this process at all and we all know a man who looks good with a shiny bald head. However, other men suffer great emotional distress associated with a lack of self-confidence and sometimes depression.
HAIR GROWTH
Male pattern baldness tends to be inherited. This happens because of an excess of a chemical called dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, which causes the hair follicles to make thinner and thinner hair until they eventually pack up completely.
Other causes of male hair loss, which may not follow this pattern, include:
- Iron-deficiency anaemia
- Under active thyroid
- Fungal scalp infection
- Some prescribed medicines
- Stress
The good news is that there are several treatments available for men looking for a solution to hair loss.
- Minoxidil is a lotion available from the pharmacist that you rub on to the scalp. It slows down the process of hair loss and can cause new hair growth but you have to keep on using it or it will stop being effective.
- Finasteride (Propecia) is the latest drug treatment. It comes in tablet form and works by slowing down hair loss; it’s also reported to cause new hair growth. In the UK it’s only available on private prescription from your GP and is only effective while you take it.
HAIR TRANSPLANTATION
Many men seek a permanent solution to hair loss. Wayne Rooney’s hair transplant made the news recently, and a hair transplant is a great way for long term answer.
In the past decade or so the surgical techniques of some physicians have made it possible to re-create the look of a man’s original, natural hairline. Hair transplantation is the medical process of relocating permanent hair from the lower back and sides of the head. These hairs are transplanted into areas of thinning and balding along the top and towards the front of the head, where after a short resting period they grow and will continue to grow for a lifetime.
The entire reason why hair transplants are permanent, and not just a temporary cosmetic procedure.
Does It Hurt ?
Yes but the amount of pain varies between patients. A lot of people say that it is like a visit to the dentist – and like with dentists there are good surgeons and bad surgeons.
Probably the most painful part of the procedure is during the injection of the anesthetic when a large number of injections are made to the donor area. Often the patient is given a mild sedative to relax them before any treatment is carried out. It is normal in some cases to spray the area with a freeze spray to reduce the pain of the injections.
About fifty percent of customers will probably experience swelling on the forehead and face after a transplant. This can be treated with an ice pack but in some cases is extremely noticeable and a return to work usually needs to be ruled out.
