Male pattern baldness can begin in the early twenties, which can be very devastating since many men at this age are still out there searching for their life partner.

Hair loss can cause problems such as:

• Low self-esteem

• Low self worth

• Less sociable

• The avoidance of exercise where others work out

• The avoidance of team sports

As with any emotional problem, a person that is dealing with hair loss should talk with their physician. From this point, they may need counseling in order to deal with the emotional problems and stress associated with hair loss.

Start hair loss treatment

Hair has always been a fashion statement. All the various styles that reflect the young, viral, and energetic men on the movie screen is the ideal head of hair, however, one must look past the ideal head of hair and start working on a hair treatment that will stimulate hair growth.

Instead of dwelling on balding, even if you know that hereditary hair loss is more than likely a factor in your life, do what you can to keep a healthy head of hair. This may prolong the effects of balding.

Things you should do include:

• Wash your scalp properly to stimulate hair follicles

• Do not wear a hat

• Talk with your physician about prevention

• Seek counseling

Just as a person that is over weight, has scars, or other cosmetic problems have to cope with the laughs, pointing fingers, and of course the exclusion from the in crowd, a person with hair loss problems may feel the same emotions. The best thing to do is to start a list of your good points. If you do not like yourself, no one else will. Have confidence in who you are instead of your head of hair.

•  Hair Transplant Surgery

•  Alopecia Reduction Surgery

Hair transplant surgery is an operation in which hair is taken from the back of the head and relocated to the areas where hair loss has occurred.

With Alopecia Reduction Surgery, the following types are available:

•  Scalp Reduction Surgery

•  Scalp Flap Surgery

•  Scalp Expansion Surgery

Scalp Reduction Surgery is a surgery procedure in which the bald scalp is removed and the scalp that has hair is stretched over the area where the scalp was removed.

Scalp Flap Surgery is a surgery procedure in which a flap of skin along with the underlying tissue is relocated.

Scalp Expansion Surgery is a surgery in which a balloon type device is implanted under the scalp to create condition for the hair-bearing scalp to cover the area where balding has occurred.

Hair transplant surgery costs are decided by how many grafts you may need. On average a graft costs from $3.00 to $8.00 per graft, with $5 to $6 per graft being about average. Usually $1,200 will pay for your hair transplant surgery; however, it will need to be replaced once per year. In addition, about every 6 weeks it will need to be reattached and groomed which will cost on average $75 per visit.

Scalp Reduction Surgery can cost anywhere from $1,500 - $3,500.

Scalp Flap Surgery on average costs around $4,293, however, this does not include anesthesia, operating room facility, and the hospital stay.

Scalp Expansion Surgery costs around $5,000.

Pros of all types of Hair Transplant Surgery:

•  No linear scar

•  Decrease in healing time

•  No limitations on strenuous exercise after the procedure

•  Less post-op discomfort

•  Extends the size of the donor area

•  Enables one to harvest finer hair from the nape of the neck

Cons of all Hair Transplant Surgery:

•  Bleeding – a small amount of bleeding is normal; however, one in about 100 cases may experience persistent bleeding.

•  Pain - pain on average last only a few days

•  Numbness - can occur and may last from three to 18 weeks.

•  Hiccups - The cause of hiccups is not known but has been noted in many patients

•  Itching - is common and only last a few days. In most cases, shampooing the hair will help.

•  Swelling – almost every person complains of swelling. It normally lasts 2 to 5 days and is most often seen on the forehead and around the eyes.

•  Infection - infection is rare but easily cured with antibiotics.

•  Scarring - Keloid scarring occurs only in pre-disposed individuals

•  Cysts - have been known to occur when several mini-grafts are inserted.

Amount of hair to be transplanted

The cost depends greatly on how much hair you need to be transplanted. The average cost of a hair transplant can be anywhere from $500 to $10,000, depending on how much hair you actually need transplanted.

If the hair transplant clinic you have chosen is new or relatively inexperienced you will pay much less for the hair transplant. It might not be in your best interest to go with a relatively new clinic.

Reputation of hair transplant surgeon

You definitely want to get to know your hair transplant surgeon . Ask how many surgeries he has performed and his success rate. If he is new as well, it might be in your safest interest to choose a more experienced doctor.

Real or synthetic hair

Ask your hair transplant clinic what type of hair they use. If they are using any type of synthetics as opposed to natural hair, you might want to seek other options. Obviously, synthetic hair will cost less, but will not provide the natural look.

It is possible to have an affordable hair transplant through various means. You can opt to pay in installments thus making it more affordable than paying it all in one go. There is often a substantial disparity between hair transplant costs at different hair transplant clinics. This could be due to various factors such as location, type of hair transplant procedure carried out the reputation of the surgeons involved.

Prices differ by type of procedure

Naturally, the very latest hair transplant procedures are more expensive because of the greater quality outcome.

Surgery is the second option but it happens to be very pricey and quite painful. Other people consume prescription medicines, but this can be expensive and only works some of the time.

DHT blocker

Saw palmetto hair loss treatments have been studied to treat androgenetic alopecia, which is inherited male baldness. It blocks and fights Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is the hormone that causes hair loss. Saw palmetto hair growth is most common in men but it can help with female baldness as well. It has been shown to be almost as effective as prescription pills but at a fraction of the cost.

Native Americans originally used this herb to treat urinary treatments. It grows in sandy soils found in the Southeastern United States. The flowers that this plant produces are white and it has long yellow leaves. It can grow up to ten feet.

It was later discovered that it can ease a painful prostate. Saw palmetto prostate treatments have been around for a time. Saw palmetto hair growth has been found to be a delightful side effect. Prostrate cancer or other prostate disorders cause benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) which is an enlargement of the prostate. This enlargement can be very painful for men. Saw palmetto combats this BPH and saw palmetto testosterone regulation is crucially beneficial to older men or any man suffering from genetic hair loss.

Prostate

Saw palmetto has also been shown to increase fertility in women and has acted as an aphrodisiac. It has been recommended for urinary infections and respiratory difficulties. There is no way to know the complete range of benefits this herb has. Some doctors will recommend it for preventing cancer! As of this moment, it is proven to help hair growth and fight an enlarged prostate. These results are very well documented. It is much more discreet and productive than wearing a toupee or getting hair plugs.

Side effects

There are not many side effects to saw palmetto, as it is a natural herb. Those that have experienced saw palmetto side effects have experienced dizziness, nausea, diarrhea and constipation. These effects, though not to be minimized, are very commonly reported. Few, and it must be reiterated, a few have claimed to have experienced increased breast tenderness and slight increase in size. However, this is statistically similar to propecia, which is one of the most popular DHT blockers used by Men for hair loss.

One of the drugs that can be recommended to you is Rogaine, a solution that contains the active ingredient Minoxidil (in 2% or 5% concentration), in a mixture of 80% ethanol, Propylene Glycol (PPG) and water.

Studies showed that Rogaine is effective for 30% (although that figure does seem pretty conservative). Judging by the rate of positive comments from users in forums, the success rate seems a lot higher. The success rate for women users was found to be around 80% (though pregnant women and the ones that are nursing a baby must not use it).

Use for minimum 6 months to test effectiveness

No one can tell you for sure if it will work or not in your case. You have to try it for yourself to see it. That means you have to apply the solution directly on the scalp (on the affected aria) twice a day at least 5-6 months. Couple of hours after applying you should not wash/shampoo your hair. If after 6 months you see no effects, than probably in your case is not working and you should try other treatments for your problem.

The specialist cannot tell you exactly how and why this drug has an effect on the hair growth. They suppose that the minoxidil increases the blood flow around the baldness areas and this helps the hair follicles to grow. Like many other drugs, Rogaine has its side effects:

Side effects of Rogaine/minoxidil

•  The most common is the scalp irritation and redness. You can’t really avoid this side effect because it is a natural reaction of your body against the drug. But what you can do to diminish the effect is to stop using only Rogaine with 5% minoxidil and use it alternatively with the other Rogaine with 2% minoxidil (first one in the evening, the second one in the morning). This effect may happen because minoxidil 5% is twice stronger than the other one and has in its composition propylene glycol (not alcohol like minoxidil 2%), which can really irritate the scalp.

Flaking and Irritation

•  Dryness and flaking of the scalp is another usual effect, but you can avoid it if you use a good anti dandruff shampoo (Nizoral, Elsurex, etc).

•  An irritation of the skin may also appear if you apply more than 1ml, so pay attention to the quantity.

•  Minoxidil was initially created to help blood pressure problems and being the active ingredient in Rogaine it may create some side effects like: irregular or very fast heartbeats, chest pain, headaches. They appear quite rarely, but if they persist, although you’ve decreased the concentration from 5% to 2% and you do not use more than the recommended doze, talk to your doctor and eventually stop using the drug.

Stop using minoxidil if breathing problems occur

•  Fainting and difficulties in breathing can be other side effects of minoxidil (due to the change of the blood pressure). In this case don’t use Rogaine anymore and seek medical advice from your GP/physician. However, it must be stressed this is extremely rare in users.

•  Have in mind that a simultaneous use of Retin A and Rogaine can increase the risk of side effects because the solution penetrates better the skin (although that can help also the effectiveness of the drug, the combination is not approved by the doctors).

Remember that Rogaine does not cure the baldness, but helps the hair’s growth. Though if you develop some of rogaine’s side effects and they are unbearable stop using it. Talk to your doctor and try other drugs for your hair loss problem.

If you experience hair loss and nothing seems to work, you don’t need to panic. There is still a long way till baldness. Talk to your doctor and try Dutasteride!

Diminishes DHT by up to 90%

Generic Dutasteride (Dutas) has the same effect like Finasteride - the active ingredient in Propecia – reduces the size of the enlarged prostate and diminishes the levels of DHT (dihydrotestosterone) by 90 % at two weeks and 93 % at two years.

Dutasteride, under the Avodart brand name, is produced by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and it is considered to be the best discovery in hair loss treatment since Propecia, although it is not a hair loss drug, but a cure for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), a non-cancerous increase of the prostate glands .

What is to know if you want to use Dutasteride for your hair loss problem:

• It is the first and so far the only drug that inhibits both types of enzyme (1 and 2) which cause the conversion of testosterone to DHT (the main androgen responsible for male baldness and prostate growth)

• A gelatin capsule of Avodart can contains from 0.01 mg, 0.05 mg, 0.5 mg, 2.5 mg, to 0.5 mg of the active ingredient (dutasteride)

• Do talk to your doctor about the needed dosage (for hair loss it seems enough a dose of 2.5 mg);

More effective than Finasteride

• A daily capsule of 2.5 mg or 5.0 mg inhibits close to 100% of the DHT while 5.0 mg daily dosage of Finasteride can only inhibit about 70% of the DHT

• You can take the capsule with a glass of water and with or without food

• You may donate blood only 6 month after your last dose of drug

• Usually a 3 to 6 month period is required to see if dutasteride is efficient as treatment or not, so don’t stop the treatment before you talk to your doctor

• The drug is not allowed for women and children

• A pregnant woman should not even handle a capsule because if it is crashed the dutasteride can be absorbed through the skin and that can cause malformation to the unborn baby

Side effects

• There are also side effects: impotence, a decrease in libido. They appear to a small amount of patients and may disappear in time

Although it was not meant for solving hair loss problems, dutasteride seems to be the answer to your prayer. If you tried everything else and your doctor says ok, go for it! Remember, Dutasteride is currently often a last resort for many who have had little luck with other cheaper alternatives such as Propecia.

It has been approved as a treatment to stop hair loss based on those findings. Although, some propecia users have experienced some side effects, it must be stated that the number is very small – below 3%, and usually the side effects subside after continued use. More on side effects below.

What is finasteride

Propecia is the brand name used for the hair loss treatments containing finasteride.

Propecia contains 1 mg of finasteride, which was initially created and used for the treatment of enlarged prostate glands. Finasteride blocks 5-alpha reductase, which is an enzyme that converts testosterone into di-hydro- testosterone (DHT).

DHT is responsible for hair loss/miniaturization because it binds to hair follicles, restricting their ability to generate new and fully grown hair. Without treatment, the affected follicles will produce shorter hair each hair growth cycle and eventually producing hair that is barely visible.

In theory, propecia stops converting testesterone into DHT, thus stopping DHT binding to the follicles.

Propecia – proven to stop hair loss

Propecia is undoubtedly one of the best hair loss treatments because it has proven to work and is also very convenient. Just pop in a small pill everyday and there is no need to mess with the hair. It is particularly good for those with minimal hair loss because users can be confident of keeping their hair without further progression of hair loss.

Directions for use of propecia (finasteride)

Propecia should be taken as soon as a man observes the first signs of a hair loss problem (androgenetic alopecia). The pills are to to be taken once a day after acquiring a doctor’s prescription. The results appear after a period of several months. The inconvenience is that if you stop taking them, their favorable effects on hair growth stops with it, and in a few months your scalp will regain the same look as it had before using propecia.

Although 1 mg of finasteride is recommended, there is evidence (according to many users posting messages) that users can gain similar results by cutting a single propecia pill in four i.e. taking .25 mg of finasteride a day. This represents large savings as 1 month’s worth of tablets will last 4 months.

Propecia side effects

There are some side effects to be taken in consideration by men too (although they appear at a minority of users, 3%, and they tend to diminish as the body gets used to the drug effect). The common side effects mentioned by the specialists are: less sexual desire, problems in achieving an erection, a decrease of sperm production.

Cost

The brand name propecia from Merck is relatively expensive, but you may feel it is a small price to pay to keep your hair and looks.

Generic finasteride

Propecia isn’t cheap. Many users have been known to opt for generic versions of the drug that can be purchased online. Generic propecia is significantly cheaper and is considered to provide very similar results.

Propecia and minoxidil

If one suffers hair loss that has become very visible and is perhaps on Norwood scale of 3 or more, then using propecia alone is perhaps not ideal. Using propecia in combination with minoxidil, the most widely used hair growth stimulant, is likely to generate better and more noticeable results.

Women should avoid using propecia

Women and children must not use the drug. Pregnant women in particular should avoid using it due to the possibility of harm to a fetus.

If you are worried about the side effects, just talk to your doctor and decide together what is the best solution for your hair loss problem.

There are many factors that cause hair loss but here are just a few:

Stress related hair loss

You may have had a stressful event in your life causing you to lose hair. This could be related the things like surgery or any number of stressful events. What happens basically is the hair goes into a rest state, falls out, and the body refuses to replace it.

Sometimes the cause of hair loss could be because of the medicine one is taking. For example, some medications for gout can contribute to and cause hair loss. Other medications associated with the cause of hair loss are anti-depressants, anti-coagulants, and anti-cancer drugs.

Male Pattern Baldness (MPB)

Genetics and heredity are a very strong factor in determining the cause of hair loss. Male Pattern Baldness (also known as MPB) is hereditary as it is linked to paternal and maternal family lines.

Female hair loss is a condition where the hair on top of the head doesn’t fall out all of the way but does thin out. This is typically seen after menopause and of course genetics is a factor too.

Iron deficiency

Another cause of hair loss is the deficiency of iron or thyroid hormone. It has been found that sometimes by replacing these deficiencies will help to start hair re-growth again.

Sometimes another cause of hair loss is trauma to the area. This trauma can be caused by hair dryers, perm chemicals, or hair styles where the hair is pulled too tight. This trauma can actually be a cause of permanent hair loss.

Certain cancer treatments will cause hair loss.

One cause of hair loss in children is a scalp infection known as Tinea capitis. This is fungal infection similar to athlete’s foot and is cured by medication. This type of hair loss causes the hair to fall out in patches.

Telogen Effluvium

Telogen effluvium is another cause of hair loss in children and adults. The cause of this type of hair loss could be triggered by certain diets, cancer treatments, emotional stress, medications, and even childbirth.

Trichotillomania is another cause of hair loss and is defined by the habitual twirling or plucking of the hair causing trauma to it. The trauma causes the hair to fall out. The hair loss is patchy.

Alopecia Areta

Alopecia areata is a cause of hair loss identified by well-defined circular patches of hair gone. It is determined that this could be caused by the body’s immune system attacking the hair follicles. Dermatologists typically treat this kind of hair loss.

Contrary to popular belief, wearing hats or daily hair wash with a traditional shampoo will not cause hair loss. In any case, daily washing with shampoo is not recommended and unnecessary.

Determining the cause of hair loss is somewhat of an inexact science as many factors contribute to it. But it seems that aside from the traumatic, disease, and chemical causes that genetics seems to be the strongest contributing cause.

You can avoid paying full price for hairloss treatments by buying generic versions of popular hair loss treatments such as Propecia and Minoxidil.

By buying the generic version you can expect to save around 1/3 of the full price.

Where to get them

To purchase generic minoxidil, the best place is probably at your local Costco. They have a 6 month supply for around $20.

Propecia is currently regarded as the best defense against hairloss. Unlike minoxidil, which primarily for regrowth, propecia actually inhibits the DHT (Dehydro-testosterone), which when binding to the hair follicles in excessive amounts, leads to hair miniaturisation i.e. thinning and loss. Propecia can be an expensive way to maintain hair, but thanks to an Indian company, Cipla, famed for its generic drugs, has launched Finpecia - in effect, a much cheaper version of propecia. They both contain the active ingrediant called finesteride.

The best place to get finpecia for UK residents is from Inhouse Pharmacy (UK) and for US residents also at Inhouse Pharmacy (US).

There are two known causes for the hair loss condition: the DHT and because of decreasing blood flow. First the DHT (Di-hydrotestosterone) is one of the major cause of male pattern baldness. This major problem has led to the establishment of several hair replacement techniques better known as hair transplants. The second cause is the decreased blood flow to the area of thinning or baldness (although this is often disputed by medical experts). This second cause has to do with lack of nutrients getting to the hair follicles.

Hair loss is genetic

Male and female pattern baldness is genetic and affects more than 50 million men and women in US. You are genetically predisposed to when and to what extent you will lose your hair.

Can wearing a hat or helmet cause hair loss?

How often you wash your hair or the type of shampoo you use, whether or not you use helmets or wear a hat has no scientific link with hair loss. The same is true with rubbing or going through your hair with the hands.

Hair transplants

The hair transplant is a minor surgery of the skin where grafts or hair of different sizes are removed from a horseshoe shaped donor area from the back and sides area of the head and are surgically implanted in the area of the head where hair replacement is needed. Since this hair is immune to de-hydro testosterone, it will not fall out. Most hair transplant patients tend to be in their thirties to fifties. One of the reasons why a hair transplant isn’t recommended for people in their twenties or even younger is because it is difficult to estimate how quickly and how much further hair loss there will be. There is little point in getting a transplant if hair loss in surrounding areas does not stop or really slow. This will give an immediate impression that the person has had a transplant

Does the new hair fall out?

The hair transplants have been taken from the scalp area around the back and sides of the head where the hair is genetically made NEVER to fall out. The fact that the hair transplants are moved from an area of the scalp to another has no effect for it’s genetics predisposition to grow and making hair loss transplants an efficient technique especially supplemented by treatments that stop or reduce Di-hydrotestosterone (DHT) from binding on the hair follicles where the remaining natural hair remains.

Hair treatments first

It is better to take treatments such as propecia (finesteride) and regrowth stimulants such as minoxidil to see if hair loss can be stopped and maintained, and if possible, regrowth without resorting to a hair transplant. If there is substantial hair loss, which has subsided, but the loss is still very noticeable then a transplant should be considered

Noticeable hair

No. Usually the hairs are only a few millimetres in length immediately following hair replacement surgery. After the transplant, the hair may appear to be growing, but in reality they are being thrust out. Within three or four weeks of the hair transplant, nearly all the new hair transplants must be shed. Approximately, after three months following the initial shedding of hairs, the replacement hair will be noticeable.