Men's most prevalent kind of hair loss is called androgenetic alopecia, sometimes known as male pattern baldness (MPB). By the time they are 80 years old, almost 95% of men have it, and it usually begins before middle life.
Male pattern baldness may be present if you notice that your hairline is receding, that you have a bald spot on your crown, or that one side of your hair is thinning. This article will explain the reasons for male pattern hair loss, discuss if it can be prevented, and discuss the best treatments.
What Is Male Pattern Baldness?
A form of hair loss unique to men and those assigned to the male gender at birth is male pattern baldness. It is characterized by hair loss that begins in the temples and spreads to the mid-scalp and crown:
Male pattern baldness only affects the follicles at the front and top of the scalp, leaving the hair on the sides and back of the head untouched, in contrast to female pattern hair loss, which tends to spread uniformly throughout the scalp.
What Causes Male Pattern Baldness?
Many factors contribute to the development of male pattern baldness, including:
Hormones
Genetics
Age
Male sex hormone dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, attaches itself to androgen receptors in your hair follicles. Because of this, the hair follicles shrink and eventually stop generating hair.
Male pattern baldness does not affect all guys, although all men produce DHT. This is because your genetic makeup dictates how much DHT you create. The level of DHT sensitivity in your follicles is also determined by genetics. Higher oestrogen levels have the potential to reverse male pattern baldness because they reduce the generation of DHT.
While DHT levels tend to decline with age, hair loss worsens. This is because male pattern baldness is a degenerative illness that, if left untreated, would result in increased hair loss. However, you can decrease, stop, and even reverse this hair loss if you get therapy as soon as possible.
Your hair is falling out because of environmental factors as well. Balding can also be caused by factors that are detrimental to health. Among them are:
Hair loss associated with anxiety and stress
Deficits in some vitamins that cause hair loss
Smoking, which increases the risk of hair loss by double
Diabetes and high blood pressure are two chronic illnesses that have been connected to hair loss. Find out more about hair loss and diabetes.
You should consult a doctor if hair loss develops in conjunction with another health issue or following the start of a new drug. Your doctor must confirm and diagnose your balding, as other disorders can cause hair loss.
Who Is Likely To Experience Male Pattern Baldness?
Any adult man can experience male pattern baldness, but some traits can put you at greater risk.
Caucasian men seem to be more inclined to suffer from MPB than men of other races. According to one UK study:
White men were most at risk for male pattern balding
Men of South Asian descent were more likely to see crown balding than white men but less likely to see a receding hairline.
Black men were less likely to experience frontal, crown, or severe hair loss.
Men of Chinese descent were also less likely to go bald than white men but more likely than Black men.
Male pattern baldness is hereditary. Most genetic variants that impact hair growth are found on autosomal chromosomes (all chromosomes except X and Y). However, some strong variants are linked to the X chromosome inherited from the mother, which suggests a stronger inheritance from the male relatives on the maternal side. Still, you may be more likely to lose hair if bald men are on either side of your family.
Some evidence also suggests COVID-19 can aggravate male pattern baldness, though hair loss after COVID-19 is more commonly due to telogen effluvium.
How Is Male Pattern Baldness Diagnosed?
To rule out any transitory hair loss causes, such as eating disorders, autoimmune illnesses, recent chemotherapy treatment, or mental health difficulties, your trichologist will ask you a series of questions. Additionally, they will check your scalp and hair for the telltale symptoms of male pattern baldness. Usually, this is characterized by thinning hair near the head and temples. The hair may eventually thinning to the point that your scalp is visible.
Male pattern baldness is diagnosed by trichologists using a chart called the Norwood scale, also referred to as the Hamilton-Norwood scale. The different levels of hair loss that typically accompany mild, moderate, and severe male pattern baldness are shown in this chart.
Stages Of Male Pattern Baldness
The MPB is divided into seven stages. The Norwood scale can be used to determine how severe your balding is:
Norwood stage 1: No hair loss in the crown and very little thinning of the hair around the temples
Norwood stage 2: No hair loss in the crown, some thinning around the temples
Norwood stage 3: No crown hair loss; visible hairline regression (may be an M, U, or V).
Norwood stage 3A: Visible hair loss on the head and a slight recession of the hairline
Norwood stage 4: There is still good hair density across the mid-scalp, but there is a growing hair loss in the crown and temple.
Norwood stage 5: Profound hair loss in the temples and crown
Norwood stage 6: Generalized hair loss with a meeting point for hair loss at the crown and temple.
Norwood stage 7: All hair has disappeared from the mid-scalp, crown, and temples. Some hair is still present at the crown's borders.
Most guys become aware of hair loss in stages two or three. If genetically predisposed to male baldness, you might be more conscious and detect it at stage 1.
Rarely, hair loss may advance past Norwood stage 7. Aggressive pattern baldness, known as "retrograde alopecia", affects the hair around the ears and neck, impairing the safe donor area for hair transplants.
Is Androgenetic Alopecia Permanent?
Male pattern baldness, however, is incurable and permanent. However, several therapies can stop or slow down hair loss and restore density if used early enough.
Hair transplants are very common because they can restore hair that has been irreversibly gone. You can achieve natural, long-lasting hair regrowth along your entire hairline by using healthy hair follicles from the back of your head and implanting them in the regions where you are experiencing hair loss.
Is Male Pattern Baldness Inherited?
According to research, heredity also plays a significant role in male pattern baldness, even if DHT is the primary cause of it. Androgenetic alopecia runs in the family in 80% of cases of male pattern baldness.
The AR gene, or the androgen receptor gene, substantially correlates with male pattern baldness. This gene regulates the effects of testosterone and other androgens, or male sex hormones, on the body. Alopecia androgenetica is more common in people with a highly active AR gene.
Is There A Way To Prevent Male Pattern Baldness?
If you are predisposed to male pattern baldness, there isn't much you can do to stop it because your hormones and DNA largely determine it. However, you may take steps to prevent hair loss and maintain the condition of your current hair. These consist of:
Using DHT inhibitors such as Dutasteride and Finasteride
Eating a healthy, balanced diet;
Controlling and avoiding stress;
Reducing the use of heat styling techniques;
Giving up smoking;
Avoiding tight hairstyles like man buns and dreadlocks
What Are Ways To Treat Male Pattern Baldness?
This kind of hair loss has several therapy options. Male pattern baldness patients may decide not to seek therapy. There are several medical and surgical alternatives to halt a receding hairline and lessen crown hair loss.
Many licensed drugs have been demonstrated to stop the progression of hair loss in scientifically controlled trials. Depending on the stage of hair loss you're at, they could even be able to reverse it sometimes.
Minoxidil
A solution called minoxidil, or Rogaine, is applied directly to the scalp to promote hair growth. For many men who use it, it can slow down hair loss by stimulating the hair follicles. While full regeneration is rare, some people may notice fresh hair growth. However, your hair loss may resume if you stop taking this treatment.
Finasteride
Finasteride is an oral pill that prevents the creation of DHT and is sometimes referred to as Propecia. But the medication only acts as long as you take it, so stopping therapy will cause your hair loss to reappear.
Finasteride has been demonstrated to slow down additional hair loss significantly, yet it generally functions better than minoxidil. Positive finasteride results have been observed by almost 90% of consumers.
This prescription drug functions best when Finasteride (1 mg once daily) is taken as directed. Like any medicine, Finasteride may cause initial hair shedding; however, this normally subsides after a few weeks.
Dutasteride
Like finasteride, dutasteride is an oral drug taken once a day at a dosage of 0.5 milligrams. It prevents the enzymes that turn testosterone into DHT, the main cause of baldness in men. But dutasteride inhibits more DHT-generating enzymes, so it is a stronger medication.
As of this writing, the US and UK have not formally granted the medication a license to treat hair loss. Rather, it's utilized to treat prostate gland enlargement.
Hair transplants
Although they are typically the last choice, hair transplants are still an option. A hair transplant is the most intrusive and costly therapy but is a long-lasting, natural-looking permanent fix.
FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) and FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) are the two most common hair transplant procedures. Though there are some variances, they also have a lot of commonalities. Both produce fantastic effects and have high success rates.
Patients may require multiple transplants at times. According to data on hair transplants, 33.1% of patients require a second treatment, and 9.6% need three or more to achieve the desired outcomes.
After a hair transplant, some patients undergo scalp micro pigmentation (SMP) to achieve a more uniform hairline while shortening their hair.
What Can I Do If I’m Worried About Hair Loss?
Worldwide, men suffer from male pattern baldness, for which there is no recognized treatment. Male pattern baldness is treated with hair transplants, even for celebrities like Elon Musk. Certain products, such as shampoos and sprays that thicken hair, help cover up the effects. Although there isn't a cure, several drugs can lessen hair loss.
You should contact the Luviacure clinic if you have male pattern baldness. We can address any queries you may have and provide free consultations. We can discuss your choices, such as non-invasive procedures like hair transplants. Set up a consultation to begin the process.
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