Spotting the Early Signs of Male Pattern Baldness
Have you noticed your hair getting thinner and thinner, without any reason? If so, there’s a chance you may have male pattern baldness. Read on to learn how to tell if you do.
Even the thickest head of hair can’t escape fate.
The lush, thick strands of hair tangling on your head when you’re young are likely to fall out. Balding or thinning hair is a common problem as people age. By the time he’s 35, the average man will have experienced a noticeable amount of hair loss.
Nobody wants to lose their hair. A lot of men are terrified of hearing three little words – male pattern baldness (MPB). The condition can make you feel helpless.
However, you before you toss your comb into the trash can, you should know that there ARE things that you can do to help preserve your hair. Your situation isn’t hopeless.
Here’s what you need to know.
Male Pattern Baldness
Male hair loss is triggered by a cocktail of hormones and genetics. A Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) imbalance is one of the contributing causes. DHT is a sex hormone that sometimes becomes adhered to your hair follicle.
This disrupts the follicle’s growth, causing it to become shorter and shorter over time.
Early Signs of Balding
Take a look at your dad and grandfather. If they’re bald or on their way there, there’s a good chance that eventually, you will be as well.
Losing your hair due to MPB is a long process. There are a lot of signs to watch out for if you think you’re at risk of developing the condition.
1. Receding Hairline
MPB’s earliest effects are often seen in the hairline first. If you think your hairline is slowly inching backward, it’s easy to test your suspicions. Find a photo of yourself from a year or so ago, and check it out while you’re looking in the mirror.
2. Curly Hair
One of the first things that happen as soon as MPB starts, is that you might start getting curly hair above the ears. If you’ve never had curly hair, and you suddenly get it, it’s time to start worrying about male pattern baldness.
3. Thinning Crown
The “crown” of the head is the top and slightly towards the back. In many men, it is the start of the “swirl” where the hair begins. This area can start to thin out in both male or female pattern baldness.
Medicines
There are two basic types of medication that are approved hair loss treatment for men. Both have been shown to cause hair growth for men.
- Finasteride (Proscar, Propecia) – Propecia was the first brand name to be shown to have an effect on MPB. It was developed as a drug to treat enlarged prostates (another curse on men!).
- Minoxidil (Rogaine) – Rogain is a drug developed to treat hypertension. It can be applied directly to the scalp.
Hairstyles for Balding Men
Of course, you’ve heard of the “comb-over”. There are many other techniques that can be used, and some you may have never heard of from professional vendors.
Specialist tattoo artists can use a technique called scalp micropigmentation. This creates small dots that look exactly like cut hair follicles. This can give a much more natural look to balding or scalp damaged men.
If you are facing male pattern baldness, don’t panic! Get informed first, and then take action. You deserve to look and feel confident.
Check out our frequently asked questions section to have all your questions answered and more. And remember: it’s your head, you only live once!