Genetic Hair Loss: How to Avoid and Treat
Balding is one part of aging that is a hard thing to come to terms with. You can look to Patrick Stewart who has said that he started going bald by age twenty and thought that his career would be ruined forever because of it, which couldn’t be further from the truth—ahem, Star Trek or X-Men, anyone?
However, not all of us have the self-confidence and the time to be blockbuster movie stars, and some would like to take worrying about our appearance off the table. If you find that hair loss is one of these items you’d instead not think about, read below to find out preventative and helpful measures to slow the balding process down if not entirely, at least a little.
What is Genetic Hair Loss?
Genetic or hereditary baldness is the most common cause of hair loss. By the age of 40, men and women will experience some form of baldness, most of which will have started in their 20s and 30s. Women, on the other hand, won’t experience baldness quite as much until they hit menopause.
Genetic balding is not a disease; it is a natural sign of aging and your body’s response to testosterone levels. While baldness was initially thought to be inherited from the maternal side, researchers now know that a change of standards in hormones and the genetics from both sides of the bloodline are the cause. There is little to do to stop the natural process, and there are some ways to begin to regrow hair again or preventative measures that will help keep the balding process at bay.
Preventative Hair Loss Solutions
There are a few solutions to combat balding. However, not many have been proven as effective as taking the drug Propecia (or Finasteride). Studies show that taking a daily pill will keep you from losing hair and will stop hair from falling out (if you’ve already begun losing your hair). The downside is that once you stop taking the pill, your hair will start to fall out again; thus, there is no stopping the hair loss here.
Your doctor must prescribe Finasteride, and it blocks the formation of testosterone that affects hair growth. An interesting fact is that higher levels of the same pills are given to men with overgrown, non-cancerous, prostate glands.
While the pill can be used for men and women, 5% of men have a better reaction with the medication to the 2% of women who are taking the same strength.
Along with a hair weave, and plugs, an easy choice is to look toward Rogaine (or minoxidil). Minoxidil comes in a foam form, for those who do not want to take pills and has been proven to grow back hair after four to eight months of consistent use.
The downsides are small, such as having to apply it twice daily and your scalp may become irritated and itchy when you first use it due to the formula. However, it has been proven to stop hair loss, so the odds are in your favor if you choose this format.
Both men and women can use minoxidil, and it can be purchased over the counter.
Hair Regrowth Help
Other available solutions are wigs, hairpieces, and weaves. If this does not appeal to you or your senses, there are a few surgical techniques that will help regrow new hair.
Scalp reductions, while it seems a little extreme, can be used to reduce the size of your bald spots.
Hair flaps surgery is where strips of hair that have good hair growth from your body to your scalp where the bald spots are.
And hair transplants are tiny patches of skin containing one to fifteen hairs that are moved to the balding area at the front of your scalp. These can be called micrografts and yield the best results for hair regrowth. Of course, up to 700 patches may need to be grafted to see the treatment completed. This procedure can take up to two years.
Conclusion: Preventing and Treating Hair Loss
Losing your hair doesn’t have to be a stressful time in your life. You can decide what is right for you, whether it be to become comfortable with your new appearance, using preventative medications, or finding a way to regrow your hair. Finding what suits your needs best will help relieve your stress and feel as though you are moving forward with action.
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