men's hair loss & solutions

Many men relate their hair growth to their youth, which is why it has become very common to seek a solution to male pattern thinning hair.aging-men-1.jpg Male Pattern Baldness, also known as Androgenetic Alopecia, is the most common form of hair loss in men. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, 50 million men in the U.S. and more than 50% of all men over the age of 50 will experience this hair loss. Androgenetic Alopecia has been seen in men as young as teenagers and the risks increase with age. WHY? Genetic Science of the Hair Loss. Reasearchers have determined that this form of hair loss is related to hormones called Androgens. One specific androgen in particular, Dehydrotestosterone (DHT). These hormones are important for regulating hair growth. As each hair has a 2-6 year hair growth cycle, it rests for a few months and then falls out. An increased level of androgens causes a shorter hair growth cycle and results in shorter, thinner hairs. In turn, the hairs that have fallen out are not replaced as fast. Scientific studies have found that the AR gene provides instructions for making a protein called an androgen receptor, which controls the body’s response to DHT. Variations of the AR gene result in a higher activity of androgen receptors in the follicle(an increased level as mentioned), subsequently causing a slower cycle where the hair lossed is not naturally capable of replenishing itself due to a DHT build up. The DHT clings to the hair follicle and blocks the passage of the new hair.DHT_Blocking_hair.png Facts to Know: 1. Wearing hats, combing, brushing, twisting, and styling will NOT cause hair loss. 2.There is a link between smoking and the speed of which hair loss occurs. 3. Don’t just assume that male pattern baldness or male pattern thinning is to blame. Though this is normally the culprit in cases of male balding, there could be several other reasons your hair is thinning—among them: a vitamin deficiency, an underlying health condition, a medication you’re taking, dramatic weight loss, or physical or emotional stresses. Solutions : 1. Topical Treatment: Minoxidil – an FDA approved treatment that slows hair loss for some men and stimulates the hair follicles to grow new hair. Minoxidil takes four months to one year to produce visible results. A continuation of this treatment is necessary to keep results or hair loss is likely to begin again. 2. Medication: Finasteride – This prescription pill slows down your body’s DHT assembly line. Some men have been able to grow new hair while using it. Many experts think it works better than minoxidil. Like Minoxidil, hair loss may begin again when discontinued. 3. Hair Transplants -The most expensive and invasive treatment – A doctor will move healthy hair from the back and side of your head to the top.The process may need to be done a few times before it works. After 2 months, you’ll shed most of what the doctor moved and new strands will grow back. Within 6 months it will look normal.anders_beforeafter2-1.jpg 4. Hair Replacement or Additions – Over the years these have had many names. Some companies call them Sensigraft, some call it a hair replacement. No matter the name, they are essentially the same thing. A hair addition, whether it be a full cranial prosthetic or a small piece to cover the crown can now look very natural. The thin skin the hair protrudes from attaches seemlessly to the scalp to provide the appearance of hair protruding right from your own scalp. 5. Low Light Laser Therapy (LLLT) – Low light laser hair growth therapy releases red light onto the scalp, repairing at the cellular level, stimulating energy production and increasing blood flow. FDA-approved for various uses, low light laser hair therapy has been shown to result in new hair growth for most patients undergoing treatment. Low light laser hair therapy is proven to safely and effectively encourage the regrowth of thicker, healthier hair. At HPIHair: Using a “cold” laser, our expert technicians will concentrate compressed light onto the area in need of stimulation with our Ultimate Laser. This light works to: Significantly increase blood supply to the treated area, even after only one treatment Stimulate follicles & encourage healthier, stronger & more lustrous hair production Put a stop to hair loss