Hair Loss in Men: Causes & Treatments

Hair loss can affect a man’s appearance by either thinning his hair out dramatically or causing him to go completely bald. The manner in which hair falls out depends a lot on the underlying condition that is causing hair loss in the first place. 

In fact, there is a wide variety of conditions which can cause excessive hair to fall out, ranging from drug side effects to changes in hormone levels caused by stress, illnesses, fungal infections, autoimmune disorders and even over-vigorous hair dressing techniques. 

In men, however, hair loss most frequently and noticeably comes about as a result of what’s known as “male pattern baldness.” Although typically beginning when a man is in his mid 20’s or early 30’s, this condition can strike a man at any age, even as early on as his teen years. 

While male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia) is a hereditary condition, it is also thought to be brought on by two other important factors; male hormones and aging. When combined with a genetic predisposition to go bald, men with this condition have scalps that are more susceptible to the damaging effects of sex hormones over time. 

Indeed, male pattern baldness occurs when these sensitive scalp areas are exposed to the damaging hormones that are carried through the blood stream. These hormones, in turn, cause the hair follicles?tiny tubes out of which hair grows?to decrease in size. 

While a certain amount of follicle shrinking can be tolerated, there comes a point at which the hair follicles are too small to be able to grow any hair. It is important, however, to note that hormones never actually cause the follicles to “die,” rather they simply render hair growth impossible. 

The pattern of hair loss in men experiencing this condition develops above the forehead (think receding hairline) and at the top of the head. As each hair loss area grows, these two sections meet up to expose the head in a U-shaped pattern that spares nothing but the hair around the back and edges of the head. 

When looking for a treatment to hair loss in men, it is important to understand that this condition cannot be prevented. Either you have it, or you don’t. In some men, treatment does very little to reverse hair loss. At this point, these individuals may choose to shave their head completely rather than continue on with the unflattering (although quite common) look of patterned baldness. 

That said, it is still true that various treatment options have proven themselves to be quite successful in many cases. Typical options for men losing hair through Male Pattern Baldness include oral supplement Provillus, and the topical solution Minoxidil, which is one of the best hair regrowth treatments for men that was approved by the FDA. More involved steps include what’s known as scalp reduction therapy or hair transplants.

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