Long-term Solution To Male Pattern Baldness

By Author: Tom Howarth
Total Articles: 4
Comment this article

Male pattern hair loss is not a health condition as such, but statistics would tell you that people pay just as much for treating this type of hair loss as they do for other severe health problems. The reason is very simple: people like having a full head of hair; it gives them a nice sense of body image and a youthful look. Male pattern baldness treatments may range from using medication to wearing wigs and other concealing methods. While using wigs and 'combing over' can give you temporary solution to this problem, a better choice would be to go for a long-term treatment.


What is male pattern baldness?


Most balding men lose their hair to androgenic alopecia, commonly known as male pattern baldness. It is caused by hormonal and genetic factors. In this condition, you lose your scalp hair over a period of 2-5 years in a specific pattern. First the hairline recedes gradually, which is followed by thinning of hair on top of the head. Eventually the receding hairline meets the hairless part on the vertex and forms an 'M' shape, leaving ...
... a thin covering of hair on either side of the head.


What is the long-term solution to androgenic alopecia?


You can prevent male pattern hair loss with the help of medicine. Propecia finasteride is often the drug of choice for most men looking for a long-term solution to this type of hair loss. As it happens over a period of time, you cannot go against the clock to stop it or possibly regrow new hair. Finasteride can about 2-5 years to stop you from balding and possibly grow new hair. A 5-year clinical study with men using Propecia revealed that 33% men had no further hair loss after using Propecia for 2 years. About 66% men experienced hair regrowth while only 1% men continued to lose hair as before. At the completion of the study, 42% men stopped losing hair while 48% men had hair regrowth. The percentage of failure was just 10% after 5 years of Propecia hair loss treatment.


How does finasteride work?


So there are facts to support the effectiveness of finasteride. It is available as 1mg pills indicated to be swallowed whole with water. It works by lowering dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels, so that the hair follicles do not shrink. The hormone DHT, along with a gene variation that you can inherit from either parent, triggers male pattern baldness.


What if I do not get the results?


It usually takes 12 months to find out whether or not Propecia is working. Most men taking this medicine have reported a significant reduction in hair loss after taking Propecia pills continuously for 3 months. Probably after 6 months you will notice further improvement and by 12 months, you may be able to enjoy the full benefits of the finasteride baldness treatment. But make sure you keep reporting to your doctor at regular intervals, because if there is no noticeable improvement after using Propecia for a year, you may have to look for another hair loss treatment.