Most men will have lost some hair, and will, most likely display an amount of graying, by the time they reach the age of 55. There are various types of hair loss and balding but the type that develops in a particular pattern is known as male pattern baldness.

Androgenetic alopecia is the correct medical terminology for the kind of hair loss which is more commonly known as Male pattern baldness (MPB) (alopecia is the more general medical name for hair loss). It would appear that the cause of MPB is dihydrotestosterone, a hormone that has an effect upon the scalp’s hair follicles.

Surprising to many is the fact that MPB can make an appearance at any time between the ages of around twenty to as late as fifty. The early signs are receding of the hair line, which is not uncommon in younger men. How fast or aggressive the hair loss is depends on many factors but the most important are the genetic factors.

Today’s modern man is often under more pressure than previous generations. Ageism seems rampant and one of the key signs of a man’s age is his hair, or rather, the lack of it. For this, and many other reasons, many men feel the need to either hide their male pattern baldness or to treat it. Luckily modern medicine offers a number of solutions, some are very new and yet some, such as the use of wigs, very, very old.

Until recently, because male pattern baldness is more of an eventuality than a medical condition, there was very little that could be done other than some rather experimental cosmetic surgery (which was often a disaster) or the use of wigs and hair pieces (which could lead to some embarrassing situations). Happily, in recent years, there have been a couple of medical breakthroughs that have helped to create two incredible treatments for MPB.

One of the treatments for MPB which is becoming widely known is Rogaine which uses the magic ingredient called Minoxidil. Minoxidil stops hair loss from the scalp but it has to be used all the time as stoping using this topical medication results in the resumption of hair loss.

Finasteride is another wonder drug for the treatment of MPB. Widely available in products such as Propecia and Proscar, Finasteride is an oral medication that stimulates the hair follicles on the head by halting the production of dihydrotestosterone. Like Minoxidil, Finasteride needs to be taken regularly as stoping the medication results in the body, once agaiin, producing the hormone resulting in hair loss.

Cosmetic surgery for male pattern baldness is incredible but, if it goes wrong, it can be a complete nightmare. Please, if you are planning such cosmetic surgery, do not take short cuts. Make use you use the best cosmetic surgeon available in your area. After all, we are talking about one of the most visible parts of your body.

The last treatment for male pattern baldness that we shall investigate is not really a treatment, rather, it is a solution to a problem. Wigs have been available for thousands of years and are still a popular solution to hair loss. Available as smaller hair pieces it is important that you do not opt for the cheapest wigs. Good quality wigs are made from real hair and are therefore rather expensive. However the results are spectacular.

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