Words: Violet
Hair loss is probably one of the most common fears for men – no matter what age you are, thinning, receding hairlines, grey hairs appearing or just a general fear can totally consume thoughts and conversations of men the world over. Whilst there is no one ‘cure’, so to speak, there some measures you can take to slow the process.
Before we get started, however, there is one myth that really must be expelled before we go any further – PHL (pattern Hair Loss) affects 70% of men and contrary to common belief, is not caused by stress, lack of exercise, drinking, unhealthy-living etc. It is literally as simple as the fact that if you are going to go bald – you will go bald, because it’s linked with the presence of androgens (hormones that control masculine characteristics), and nothing to do with lifestyle, or any other factor that people will have you believe, it is simply due to predetermined genetic factors, family history, and the overall aging process.
Before you give up all hope of having a full head of hair and hit the Wayne Rooney approach to hair loss, then take a look at these simple options that you can take…
According to the NHS, there are two common medicines that are sometimes effective in treating male-pattern baldness:
1. Finasteride
Finasteride comes as a tablet that you take every day and works by preventing the hormone testosterone being converted to the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is what causes the hair follicles to shrink, so blocking its production allows the hair follicles to regain their normal size.
It usually takes three to six months of continuously using finasteride before any effect is seen, and the downside is that the balding process usually resumes within six to 12 months if the treatment is stopped.
2. Minoxidil
Miloxidil is available as a lotion that you rub onto your scalp every day. No prescription is needed and it’s not actually that clear how minoxidil even works, however there is ample evidence to suggest that it can cause hair regrowth in some men.
Similar to finasteride, minoxidil usually needs to be used for several months before any effect is seen,and again, the balding process will usually resume if treatment with minoxidil is stopped.
3. Herbal Remedies
If you start a web search on herbal remedies for hair loss, you could spend the rest of your life reading all the answers – from rubbing animal feces into your scalp, to letting a cow lick oats onto your head (no word of lie), you could loose your mind (not to mention your dignity) trying to find the right cure for you. But for those men who aren’t quite ready to start popping pills or visiting the plastic surgeon, this could be right for you. As with many herbal remedies, the effects will differ between different people, so it’s best to try out a few and do your research.
– Ginseng can stimulate blood circulation, therefore increasing blood supply to hair follicles. For topical application, any hair oil infused with the ginseng root can do wonders.
– Sage has antiseptic and astringent benefits for the hair which, if used wisely, can result in thicker and stronger hair.
– Rosemary is another powerful herb for hair growth. Not only does it prevent hair loss, but also stimulates new hair growth, detoxifies scalp and restores hair pigmentation.
Whilst these are all tried and tested measures, we can’t reinforce enough how what might work one man, will not necessarily work for another. For those of you looking to more permanent measures, then bare with us as we will take a look at the surgical options available next week.
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