A luscious head of hair is extremely important to some men. Luscious hair makes you feel younger, attractive, confident, and vivacious. The average individual loses up to 100 hair strands a day but it is not usually noticeable since new growth is continuous. Unfortunately, shedding more than 100 hair strands per day is deemed to be abnormal. Gradual thinning or hair loss patches will occur if the hair loss remains untreated.
There are several causes of hair loss but here will focus on male pattern Hair loss.
The growth cycle of hair consists of 3 stages:
Hair growth from the follicle is at a rate of 1-2 cm per month. The stage normally lasts 3-5 years.
This stage is short and only lasts about 10 days. The hair follicles are getting ready for the next stage.
This is when older hair strands fall out. The hair follicle then becomes inactive for a 3- 4 month period.
The entire process is then repeated. Each hair follicle goes through this growth cycle at different intervals. This is orchestrated so that all your hair does not fall out at the same time. Our genetics decide our hair follicle growth pattern. As we get older, hair follicles are designed to stop producing hair and enter the resting stage.
Male Pattern Hair Loss or Androgenic Alopecia is a genetic disorder that causes gradual hair thinning and hair loss. It is the most prevalent cause of male hair loss.
Age, testosterone levels, and hereditary combined is the typical cause of Androgenic Alopecia. You may have experienced symptoms as early as teens into the early 20s.
The principal hormone that causes androgenetic alopecia in males is dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which is made from testosterone with the help of 5-alpha reductase(5-AR) enzyme. Men with this condition tend to have elevated levels of 5-AR and DHT and lower testosterone levels. DHT causes hair follicles to shrink over time.
Hair loss often starts with a slow receding of the hairline above the temple, it can be recognized by the “M” shape it makes. Thinning at the top the head can also be observed. Eventually, these hair loss areas meet. In the advanced stage, only a rim of hair remains on the side and back of the head. As such, hair transitions from large thick hair strands to shorter thinner hair to eventually wispy, unremarkable vellus hair.
Modern medical advancements have produced treatment options that can now combat hair loss. The fact is you do not have to accept your hair loss and start shopping for wigs and toupees, there are available treatment options:
These usually come in the form of serums, sprays, lotions, and foams and suitable for males patients. You can apply the topical treatment directly onto your scalp to help slow down the rate of hair loss while stimulating hair growth. You typically see results after 3-6 months of consistent usage. Unfortunately, the effects stop if you stop using it. It may cause some uncomfortable side effects like scalp irritation or unwanted facial or body hair.
There are oral medications that is taken on a daily basis. It inhibits the action of 5-AR, thus decreasing the amount of testosterone that is converted to DHT which causes hair loss. If taken as directed, it is considered more effective than the topical therapy.
However, you may need to use Propecia for several months before you notice the effects.
Unfortunately, there may be side effects. Some men have reported impotence, erectile dysfunction, and reduced libido.
This is a mildly invasive treatment where regenerative cells are harvested from the nape of the neck via micrografts and re-injected into the areas of the scalp that you are experiencing hair loss. The treatment only uses cells from our body i.e. autologous. As such it is totally safe and there are no noteworthy side effects. These injection treatment is compatible with other hair loss treatments. It is a great alternative for those who do not want to use oral or topical medications due to the unpleasant side effects.
Another advantage of this injection is that you only require a single treatment. It takes approximately 45 minutes to be administered. There is little to no downtime after the procedure. In a few months, you can expect to see visible improvement in density, hair count, and thickness. Encouragingly, research has shown, results can last up to 3 years.
The treatments above are only effective in the early to intermediate stages of androgenetic alopecia. Sadly, in the late stage, the hair follicles are no longer viable, and very little can be done except for a hair transplant.
This is a surgical procedure that takes hair follicles from the back of the scalp (the donor site) and transplants them in a balding area of the scalp (recipient site). Hair transplants are the only permanent hair loss solution and have up till 90% success rate. You can also have a surgical hair transplant done to add or restore facial hair and cover scars in Singapore.
If you have any concerns about hair loss, do drop us a message and we will be more than happy to assist you further with more information.