as one ages, we often tend to give less attention to our outlook. it seems that life has this strange effect on us. we start to ignore little details like the extra pound, the new wrinkle and the thinning hair. i am a firm believer of slowing down the aging process with proper diet, exercise and of course, a body-care regime. for this post, i am going to talk about a problem that affects about 70% of men: baldness
more than 95% of hair thinning in men is male pattern baldness. male pattern baldness is characterized by hair receding from the lateral sides of the forehead (known as a 'receding hairline') and/or a thinning crown (balding to the area known as the ‘vertex’). both become more pronounced until they eventually meet, leaving a horseshoe-shaped ring of hair around the back of the head. a rough rule of thumb is that the incidence of baldness in males corresponds to chronological age. for example, male pattern baldness affects roughly 40 million men in the united states. approximately 25% of men begin balding by age 30; two-thirds begin balding by age 60.
there is a 4 in 7 chance of receiving the baldness gene. onset of hair loss sometimes begins as early as the end of puberty and is mostly genetically determined. it was previously believed that baldness was inherited from the maternal grandfather. while there is some basis for this belief, both parents contribute to their offspring's likelihood of hair loss.
well, know how we lose our hair is not most important. the question is if one can prevent and reverse hair loss.
medication: in the united states, there are only two drug-based treatments that have been approved by the u.s. food and drug administration (fda) and one product that has been cleared by the fda for the treatment of male or female pattern hair loss. the two fda approved treatments are finasteride (marketed for hair loss as propecia) and minoxidil.
there is currently no way to instigate permanent re-growth of hair that has been lost through genetic or hormonal causes. however, it is widely regarded that with early detection, professional consultation and specialist products, the effects of hair thinning can be reduced or delayed. if the cause is reversible, such as an underlying medical condition, it is possible to stop hair thinning by treating the deficiency. there are also several measures sufferers can take to give hair a thicker appearance and to create an optimum scalp environment for new hair to grow and thrive.
a variety of medications have been proven to slow hair thinning, help grow new hair or enlarge existing hairs to create better coverage. most require long-term use as, if stopped, hair loss returns. some treatments are topical and activated by being sprayed or rubbed into the scalp, while others are taken in pill form. one of the most popular medications, corticosteroids, are either injected into the scalp, taken in pill form or applied in an ointment and are used especially to treat patchy hair loss.
stress reduction: stress reduction can be helpful in slowing hair loss. in 2011, researchers from the university of california and the u.s. veterans administration found that mice who had been genetically engineered to produce excessive levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone, lost hair from their backs. the high amounts of corticotropin-releasing hormone created a chronic stress condition in the mice. after treatment with astressin-b, a stress blocker, the mice had regrown the hair they had lost, four months later.
surgical treatments: hair transplant surgery was developed during the 1950s. it is usually carried out under local anaesthetic. a surgeon will move healthy hair from the back and sides of the head to areas of thinning, helping to restore a natural look. the procedure can take between four and eight hours and additional sessions can be carried out to make hair even thicker. transplanted hair falls out within a few weeks but regrows permanently within months.
treating the scalp: as an extension of facial skin, effective cleansing and moisturizing of the scalp can help keep follicles open and create an optimum environment for healthy hair to grow and mature, preventing miniaturization and controlling thinning. certain products on the market are specially designed to remove the styling build-up, environmental pollutants and excess sebum that block follicles and inhibit hair growth, and nourish the scalp skin and hair to reduce breakage and promote health.
here's to your crown of glory!
fash'on... BAM!
