Why do men lose hair? Male pattern baldness. If you are wondering why hair loss affects some men and not others? It is baffling that one-man experiences thinning hair in his early twenties, but another is sporting a full head well into his 70s. If you are considering what to do about your male pattern hair loss read more. This advice is from the experts in hair transplants and hair restoration.
The impact of hair loss on an individual’s well being differs. While some accept it as part of ageing others experience an impact on their confidence, self-esteem, relationships and career. We’re here to help, offering advice, support and a variety of hair loss treatments.
Before we look at treatments, let’s explore male hair loss to shed some light on this seemingly enigmatic condition.
Male pattern hair loss – it’s in your genes
50% of men lose 50% of their hair by the time they’re 50 years of age. This is due to individual genes.
Your genes are the most common form of progressive hair loss.They are caused by genetic and hormonal factors that affect the hair’s growth and follicles. You need to understand what happens in your body. Testosterone is converted into DHT. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a derivative of the male hormone testosterone. This is the main trigger for hair loss in male pattern baldness. DHT impairs the growth cycle of hair. It delays the regrowth of lost hair, impacting hair follicles. As a result, you will notice your follicles become progressively smaller producing shorter, thinner more fragile hair. This continues until the follicle shrinks altogether. Consequently they die and no longer produce hair.
Male pattern hair loss commonly occurs on the crown and hair line. The severity of hair loss is determined by a series of diagrams called The Norwood scale .These images illustrate patterns and stages of hair loss. Many hair transplant surgeons use this scale to determine the treatment path for each patient.
Don’t overlook health and lifestyle
Male hair loss is fundamentally down to genes and hormones and lifestyle and health factors can contribute. They cause hair to thin and fall out or increase the speed of hair loss.
Obesity and malnutrition play havoc with hormones and immune health. A lack in essential vitamins, iron and protein do affect your immune health and unbalance hormones.Consequently, the knock-on effect is to reduce hair growth.
You hair is made up of protein therefore, it is essential to fuel your body with protein-rich foods. In particular, animal proteins are rich in Vitamin B12. These are essential for red blood cells to be able to carry oxygen around the body and in-turn promote healthy hair.
Our approach
A thorough assessment is required to understand the best course of treatment.
We offer each patient an in-depth consultation to find out what you want to achieve. During the consultation, the scalp and hair will be assessed to determine the most realistic results possible.
Treatments
There are topical treatments applied to the skin such as Regaine. These are applied daily and directly to the scalp and can be used to stabilise hair loss.
Hair loss medication tablets are an option. These are available on prescription and following your consultation.They act as DHT blockers. Consequently they inhibit the effect of the male hormone on the hair follicle. You can find out more about non surgical solutions and hair loss medication tablets by visiting our non surgical treatments page.
Finally, hair transplant surgery is an increasingly common option.This is due to improved FUE techniques and offers quick recovery times. Our Follicular Unit Excision (FUE) transplant treatment is almost scar free. This procedure involves healthy hair follicles being inserted onto the bald or thinning area. Surgery is done under local anaesthesia so that its as painless as possible. Hair transplant surgery takes place in a day and recovery is fast! To find out more about male and female hair loss treatments click here.
A thorough consultation with your doctor is essential before you take any action.
Speak to our team to find out more about our treatments. Alternatively book a consultation here to start your hair restoration journey today. Find out about your options here in our detailed article about how to find the best hair restoration clinic.
Farzana
The Clinic Manager
