How to Prevent/Disguise/Accept Hair Loss

It might start with a few extra hairs in your brush, or an increase in the amount of drain cleaner you use, but whatever the signs, hair loss is an experience most men will have to encounter at some point in their lives.

Baldness and hair loss can affect any man, at any age and depending on the cause of your hair loss you can either:

• Stand you ground.
• Use your cunning.
• Accept your loss.

The particularities of your hair loss may differ greatly from that of a friend, so what has worked for them, may not work for you. For this reason finding a diagnosis for your hair loss should be the first step to finding a solution tailored to your condition and lifestyle requirements.

Main causes of male hair loss:

• Male Pattern Baldness: Male pattern baldness is the number one cause of male hair thinning or baldness and usually affects the hairline and crown. This particular condition is hereditary, so I’m afraid if either parent has suffered with the problem you more than likely will do too. The problem is caused by DHT, which is a hair growth and sex hormone, which in the case of male pattern baldness causes the hair follicle to produce thinner and thinner strands, until the hair stops growing completely. Male pattern baldness usually begins in your 30s and can cause mild hair thinning or complete loss.

• Alopecia Areata: Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder, which causes your body to attack itself, more specifically your hair follicles. This attack from your white blood cells then causes your hair to produce fewer and fewer hairs, until hair production is completely shut down. Alopecia areata can affect small patches of hair or an entire head and it is still unclear what triggers the condition, although extreme stress is thought to be a factor. Research is also currently being conducted into the mechanism to switch hair growth back on, as the hair follicles of those suffering with alopecia are only dormant and in many cases hair growth starts again.

• Poor Nutrition: Those with a poor diet, lacking in protein, zinc, iron and Vitamin A are likely to suffer some kind of hair loss. This may not result in complete hair loss, but the lustre, shine and strength of the hair will be compromised, leading to a dull lifeless head of hair.

The Solutions

We’ve heard the problems, now for the solutions, with an answer for every man, whatever their hair loss situation.

• Medication and lotions: The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved only two hair loss medications, which are: Minoxidil (found in Rogaine) and Finasteride (Propecia). Both treatments have been found to not only stop hair loss, but also promote hair growth during research studies and are one solution for people who have lost hair due to male pattern baldness and coupled with an improved diet, can help those who have lost hair due to poor nutrition. However, the side-effects of these medications include impotence and diabetes mellitus, so look out for any changes if you do start taking any kind of hair loss medication.

• Good nutrition: Including meat, eggs, fish, green vegetables, milk and nuts in your diet will help promote good hair growth and cutting out fatty fast food is also a very good idea too.

• Wigs: Wigs and toupees are the source of much humour and it is true that unless you invest in a decent hairpiece you stand a good chance of looking rather silly. However, modern wigs are great deal more natural looking and some come with the options of suction caps to ensure that they stay in place. Those who are looking for a relatively cheap yet effective way to hide their hair loss could find the answer in a tailor-made wig, whether they suffer from pattern baldness or alopecia. However, those who engage in manual or sporting activities as part of their job may want to consider other options.

• Hair transplants: Hair transplants have been around since the 1930s, when two Japanese surgeons grafted hair from one part of a patient’s body to another. Since then hair transplant treatment has advanced greatly, with none more effective than Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). During this procedure healthy hair growing follicles are taken from one part of your body and then placed into the bald area of the head. After this hair follicle is first placed the hair will shed, to be replaced by a permanently growing hair 6 weeks later. This is the most effective of all hair replacement treatments and it great for those who suffer with pattern baldness or mild hair loss. However, the costs are huge, ranging from £3,000 to £30,000 depending on the severity of your condition. It is also not very suitable for the treatment of alopecia areata cases.

• Accepting it: Baldness may not be as bad as you think. For one thing a lot less time and money will be needed to maintain your look and there is a certain connotation of the ‘virile’ male attached to bald men. Shaving your remaining hair will also always look much better than the dreaded mad scientist/mullet look, so making a drastic change may be the best decision you make.

Whatever the cause of your hair loss a solution can be found, whether you are fighting, cunning or accepting.