Why Do Men Lose Their Hair ?

By Mohamed Taki - Medical Research Editor | October 23rd, 2012

“Why do we lose our hair?” A simple question asked by millions of men all over the world. And answers range from the hormonal changes in adulthood to medical treatment side effects.

While some men in certain cultures take pride in their bald pate as being manly and rich in testosterone hormones; hair loss is one of the most devastating causes for men’s low self-esteem.

Benign qualities like youth, beauty, and good health are usually associated with hair. The universal subliminal association regarding hair loss among men is: loss of hair= loss of youth= low self-esteem!

According to BBC Health, male pattern baldness affects up to 30 percent of 30-year-old men and 50 percent of 50-year-old men. Hair loss in men follows a very precise pattern that may start as early as teenage years.

Predictable Pattern to Male Pattern Baldness
Male pattern baldness occurs in a distinct manner. Hair may start to recede from the temples and the crown of the head at any time. A little thinning of hair may start to appear, followed by wider hair loss allowing more of the scalp to become visible.

Reason and Rhyme to Male Hair Loss
The most recognized reason for hair loss in men is linked to a certain gene inherited from either side of parent. The second known reason is oversensitivity of hair follicles to a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This hormone produced from testosterone causes the hair follicles to make thinner and thinner hair until eventually lost completely.

The receding hairline will gradually meet the bald patch to leave a ring of thinning hair, which for some men eventually is lost, leaving a completely bald scalp.

Several health conditions, including thyroid disease and iron deficiency anemia which can also cause hair loss.

Normal lifestyle variations including emotional or physical stress can take a toll on your hair. Stress may restrict the blood supply to capillaries, inhibiting oxygen and nutrient uptake to hair follicles further restraining hair growth.

Poor nutrition is another contributing factor of hair loss. Taking multivitamin supplement including vitamin C and iron every day can promote hair growth. Scientists also suggest eating red meat, oily fish- which are rich in protein, zinc and iron - can inhibit male pattern baldness.

There are certain drugs used to treat gout, depression, heart problems and high blood pressure may instigate hair loss. Moreover, chemotherapy or radiation therapy may cause temporary hair loss.

How to Get Your Hair Back
In addition to advanced hair transplant treatments offered by today’s top surgeons, there are simple things men can do to prevent hair loss:

Avoid pulling hair into tight styles
Brush or comb gently
Don’t shampoo too often; don’t rub vigorously with a towel
Avoid using chemical hair treatments

Hair Loss Medications
Finasteride (Propercia) is one of the most effective hair loss treatments. It is an oral drug that works by impeding the conversion of testosterone of dihydrotestosterone so the hair doesn’t thing. The only downside is it takes several months to start seeing any effects and may take up to two years for hair to re-grow. This medication usually brings desirable results for the majority of men.

Minoxidil is a more popular hair re-growth medication among men and women. It is a topical type of treatment which comes in two strengths- 2 percent and 5 percent. Minoxidil slows down the process of hair loss and stimulates new hair growth but it usually takes at least four months to start seeing significant results. Discontinuation of medication use may result in reoccurrence of hair loss.

On the other hand, hair loss medication come with some risks as well. Finasteride hair growth drug can cause sexual complications for men after stopping the medication. According to study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, Finasteride may decrease the conversion of testosterone, which affects male sexual performance.

The Bald Truth: Hair Loss Drug Can Cause Sexual Dysfunction in Men

If you tried medication and simple tricks to stop hair loss but are still experiencing thinning hair lines; hair transplant procedure is a tried-and-test surgical method that produces permanent and natural results.

Unmatched innovative hair restoration techniques employed by doctors today combine proven treatment patterns than minimize scarring and maximize graft growth.

Follicular unit transplant (FUT) and follicular unit extraction (FUE) are two of the most widely used hair transplant treatment techniques. A simple medical hair transplant procedure involves using small grafts of naturally occurring hair bundles placed in large numbers. These grafts are obtained by dissection the donor scalp. The surgeon implants grafts with small incisions into the recipient scalp. When the hair grows out, the hair grafts produce the most natural results because they are taken from the patient’s donor area.

Hair Transplant Surgery- Does it Work?

Affordable Hair Transplant Destinations to Get your Hair Back:

Traveling miles for to regain confidence in one’s appearance is a genuine motive. It becomes even a more convincing cause when these hair transplant destinations allow patients to make substantial savings.

Hair transplant in Mexico is quintessentially renowned for world-class hair restoration procedures, providing the most advanced equipments to effectively counter hair loss. Patients from the US and Canada make their way across the border to benefit from low-cost care and enjoy natural and permanent results.

Among locals, Mexico hair transplant clinics are also a popular refugee to hair loss patients. Mexican people take pride in the outstanding medical service their country provides-which is on par with the US standards- and the financial savings they are able to make when seeking hair transplant surgery in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta.

Deal with it or Live with it

Hair loss is a fact of life—most men experience it at some point in their life. Either deal with the problem, by undergoing hair transplant procedure or be the next Jean Luc Picard!

To learn more about hair loss, contact a hair transplant surgeon in your area.

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