Male Pattern Baldness

Located in Sarasota, Florida, and serving Tampa as well, Hair Transplant Center is ready to give you the best service and bring back the confidence in you.

Balding is a natural thing that happens to many men, and some can start losing hair before they are even 21 years old. No fewer than 50 million men in the U.S. may experience baldness, and half of all men will by the time they reach 50 years old.

Male pattern baldness, also called androgenetic alopecia, is the most common type of hair loss in men. For many, it is a natural part of aging. Hair loss can make some men feel bad about themselves, or it can cause other issues like depression or anxiety. But, sometimes hair loss may be a sign of something else that needs to be checked out by a doctor.

What Is Male Pattern Baldness?

Did you know that male pattern baldness is the most common cause of hair loss in men? Indeed, it accounts for over 95% of cases when hair starts to fall out. The three main reasons that it happens are genetics, aging, and hormones.

First, hormone levels naturally change as men get older, and this can prompt hair loss.

Genetics also affect how likely you are to lose your hair. It contributes to the shrinkage of tiny spaces in the skin near hair follicles. As a result, your hair grows shorter and finer until no new hairs grow. A lot of men lose most of their hair by the time they are 50 years old. But 80% of them will lose hair by the time they are 70 years old.

The normal process of male pattern baldness is that it starts at the hairline and moves back gradually. It can create an M-shaped hairline. In the long run, the hair becomes finer, shorter, and thinner. It could also create a U-shaped pattern around the sides of your head. However, male pattern baldness is different for everyone. Some people lose hair above their forehead, some get bald spots on the top of their head, and others lose hair on the top of their head.

Sometimes, these problems will go away if you deal with what’s causing it. Let’s look at the science behind what causes male pattern baldness.

What Causes Male Pattern Baldness?

Male pattern baldness is a common hair loss problem among men. It can happen as men get older. Sex hormones also play a role in causing male pattern hair loss. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is an androgen hormone that contributes to the development of male sex characteristics. Excessive amounts of DHT can cause your hair to grow faster, but it can also make you lose your hair earlier.

DHT can affect people differently. For example, if your father experiences male pattern balding (MPB) then you will likely experience MPB as you age. Men who already have male pattern baldness might find that DHT makes their hair follicles shrink.

First, if you have male pattern baldness, DHT will make it worse. If you are already balding in some places, then DHT will shrink the follicles even more. Second, the shape of your head may also affect how quickly follicles for hair are shrinking. Your hair grows back even when you cut it. You can shave your head, and the same hair will grow back. This is because there are lots of little hairs in each follicle. The strands come out a few months later, and then that follicle will produce new hair again.

Some people are more likely to have DHT reactions on their scalp hair if they have certain androgen receptor genes. Hormones that make body hair grow, like testosterone and DHT, bind to these genes. This binding activity is normal in some ways because hormones usually help with bodily functions. Changes to the androgen receptor gene can make it more likely that a person will experience male pattern baldness.

DHT is believed to cause hair loss in men. Hair loss can be genetic or age related. There are treatments to reduce the amount of hair loss in men due to DHT. .

If you notice that your hair is falling out or receding faster than before, then it would be a good idea to talk to your doctor. You might have an illness or disease that is causing this. The sooner you see a doctor, the better chance you have of slowing down and preserving the hair that you still have left.

Male Pattern Baldness Treatment Options

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)

One way to treat hair loss is by getting a hair transplant…..

Oral finasteride

If you want a full head of hair, it is obviously best to…..

Topical Minoxidil

Minoxidil solution and foam are products to help…..

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)

One way to treat hair loss is by getting a hair transplant, or follicular unit extraction (FUE). It is a complex and lengthy procedure that requires an expert with a lot of experience. It often gives good results, and is less painful with fewer side effects than the “strip” procedure.

The FUE procedure extracts follicular units from the back of the patient’s head with surgical tools. That hair is then transplanted to balding or thinning areas on the scalp. The doctor will remove small follicular units which contain a few hairs. They will then implant these into thinning and balding areas. When this happens, about 15% of the hairs will grow as a single hair and roughly 15% grow in groups of four or five.

Follicular unit extraction enables patients with thinning or balding to enjoy the look of thicker, fuller follicles. Unlike more invasive methods like FUT, which requires removing a strip of donor hairs for individual follicle extractions, this method harvests follicular units one at a time directly out of the scalp without transecting them, leaving you looking natural.

FUE produces natural-looking and permanent results. With FUE, you don’t have to waste any precious strands on your head in order for new ones to grow back quickly and fully. The FUE technique must be performed by a skilled hair transplant surgeon or clinician. Newer technologies such as Cole, Ellis, ATERA, and WAW FUE Hair Restoration Systems automate parts of the procedure for more efficient treatments and less error.

FUE does not work for people who are losing their hair because of medicines, treatments, or stress.

In order to make sure we cover the recipient area with hair follicles and have an accurate quote, prospective patients are asked to schedule a consultation before any treatments can be recommended. Schedule an initial consultation with us to determine the results you can get from the procedure and we can assess if FUE is a good fit for your hair loss situation.

Oral finasteride

If you want a full head of hair, it is obviously best to prevent hair from falling out. By taking proactive measures like finasteride and minoxidil, or other products for preventing loss, you can keep more of your hair for a longer period of time.

Finasteride, the most popular hair loss drug on the market today, blocks an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase that decreases serum and scalp levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Dihydrotestosterone is changed by this enzyme into another hormone that causes male baldness. Finasteride’s effect is to decrease DHT in your body so you can enjoy fuller locks.

If you’re taking finasteride for male pattern baldness, it may take at least three months to see results. The medicine will not fix hair loss, but it can cause more scalp hair to grow while you are on the treatment. One dose of 1 milligram orally taken per day can show results in three to six months, but the user must continue taking it if they want to maintain their results. Hair growth from finasteride only lasts as long as you’re taking the drug. Once you’re off of the medication, the hair growth that you’ve had from it will fade away.

It’s important to be aware of the possible side effects. These may not happen with every person, and for most people they are mild if they occur at all. If any do occur, then you should see your physician as soon as possible. But, in rare cases these could also become more serious concerns that need medical attention immediately.

If you don’t get any results after one year of taking finasteride, you might have to change your plans. Your doctor will suggest that you stop taking it and get a more permanent treatment, like FUE.

Topical Minoxidil

Minoxidil solution and foam are products to help preserve hair as a way to address male pattern baldness. Most people know this medication by the name Rogaine. It is available to buy at most stores without a prescription.

Minoxidil is for people with thinning hair, but it does not work for sudden hair loss or for those with a history of baldness. There is still a chance it will work for you if your baldness was from androgenetic alopecia, but it might be hard to know without trying the medication first.

It usually takes four months to see the effects of stemming hair loss. If you stop taking it, then your hair will thin out again. You may want to talk with a doctor about whether or not you should take this medicine as a long-term solution for hair loss.

Choosing a Male Pattern Baldness Treatment Plan

There are many ways to treat hair loss. It’s best to research each method and learn which one is best for you. For example, if minoxidil didn’t work for you, then talk to your doctor about alternative treatments such as follicular unit extraction (FUE).

When you come to the Hair Transplant Center – Sarasota, we can give you a detailed evaluation of your case. To make it easier for you, we offer virtual consultations through our website. You can fill out a form with your contact information and provide us with photos so we can see what your hair currently looks like.

If you are ready to switch to a more youthful appearance, we would love to talk with you and find treatment options for your hair loss. What are you waiting for? Call us today!

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