The Truth About Male Pattern Baldness

For most men, the onset of middle age can be a shock, both physically and emotionally. Men undergo a lot of changes during this period, and unfortunately, not all of them are appealing. This is true for male pattern baldness, which is also known as alopecia or androgenetic alopecia. The desire for men to get on with the middle age years with a full head of hair has sprung up an entire industry with an effort at treating this condition. It is therefore necessary to understand this condition at the outset, so that those affected with it can make informed choices on how to deal with it.

Male pattern baldness usually develops in majority of men, at a certain stage in their lives. While it normally takes fifteen to twenty-five years for men to go bald, in some cases, the duration is hastened to a short span of five years or even less. The condition is first perceived as a visible thinning of hair from the front of the head; usually, the top of the head also thins out in the same manner, resulting in a bald patch located in the middle scalp. The receding front hair line and the patch of balding hair at the top then spread out and eventually merge. Unexplainably, the hair located at the back, and those surrounding the scalp’s sides are spared; but in some men, this also thins out eventually, leaving a totally bald head.

The male hormone, as well as genetic predisposition, are the main contributing factors to male pattern baldness. To be sure, the testosterone levels in bald men remain normal. But this hormone is converted by hair follicles into the variant dihydrotestosterone, and for unclear reasons, these same follicles develop sensitivity to the converted hormone, causing them to shrink considerably. The reasons as to why different follicles can be affected at different periods, so as to make the balding gradual, are also uncertain. Almost all men are affected with baldness to a certain extent as soon as they reach their sixties; but the start of its development varies. An average of three in ten thirty year old men, and about 50% of fifty year olds are extensively bald. Some women also experience similar forms of hair loss as such.

There is no health-threatening consequences resulting from baldness thus far, but for many men, the condition can affect their appearance, and they would be more comfortable with positive treatment for it. Apart from wearing a wig, there are currently two medications which can help. One is finasteride, which is effective by blocking the involved process of testosterone conversion. Once the derivative hormone is inhibited, the follicles maintain their normal size, allowing for normal hair growth. The other medication is minoxidil lotion, an over-the-counter, rub-on treatment drug. Though the exact process involved in its potency is unknown and there is an ensuing debate with its effectiveness, there proves to be a significant success rate with its continued use. An extreme treatment option is available through scalp surgery, which may involve scalp flaps, hair transplants, and other similar procedures. This alternative has varying success rates, and would require medical approval. The cost for undergoing such is also relatively pricey when compared to other options.