Many men are affected by the problem of receding hairline, which is a type of patterned baldness. The following article provides information about the various treatment options available for this condition.
Receding hairline is a pattern of baldness wherein the hair at the temple and crown of the head start thinning. This further leads to a bald patch at the front of the head, above the forehead. While this is most commonly seen in men, women may also get affected by this condition, leading to a lot of stress and low self-confidence. The primary causes of this condition are aging and hereditary/genetic factors. The over-activity of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) hormone is one of the major causes of this condition in men. Given below are some of the treatment options available for this condition.
Hair Replacement Surgery
There are different types of hair replacement surgeries that are available to treat the problem of hair loss. These include hair transplant techniques like micro-grafts, mini-grafts, slit grafts, strip grafts, and punch grafts. Use of one of these will depend upon the type of baldness pattern. Other hair replacement surgery techniques are flaps, tissue-expansion, and scalp-reduction which are not much commonly used. The doctors usually suggest which one is suitable for you.
Medications
There are many medications available in the market which promise growth of new hair and control on hair loss. But, most of these are just not effective even though they promise 100% results. Here are two FDA-approved medications that you can opt and they are known to be quite effective. But, these medications are to be taken for a lifetime. If you stop taking them after you get the results, then your hair will disappearing again. Hence, you will have to keep using this product for the rest of your life, in order to maintain hair growth and as a measure for baldness prevention.
Finasteride: Finasteride is known to be an effective drug for the treatment of frontal and mid-scalp hair loss. Finasteride is a synthetic anti-androgen which works by inhibiting type II 5-alpha reductase. This is the enzyme which works by converting testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Hence, finasteride controls DHT, further treating the problem. This medicine is available over-the-counter, and is manufactured by several companies. The results are vesible in a few weeks, however, you need to continue the pills to prevent hair loss.
Minoxidil: As aforementioned, this is also an FDA approved pill to treat frontal hair loss. Minoxidil contains DHT blockers, hence it inhibits the production of DHT and further helps to control and stop hair loss. This medicine is also available by various brand names over-the-counter. Taking a pill every day will increase the ability of hair follicles to grow new hair. This is also available in topical form to be applied directly over your scalp. The topical solution needs to be applied twice a day for maximum benefits.
Now that you are aware about various treatment options, it is best to consult a reputed trichologist to know about the best treatment for you. He will be able to recommend you the treatment, which is best for your problem. While some might opt for one of these treatments, many men go for a short hair haircut or complete shave to conceal the hairline and have a trendy look at the same time.
