If you are concerned about balding, there are a few options that can help you get back to having full head of hair. These options include Finasteride, Hair transplants, and Non-surgical treatments. Genetics is also a factor and can lead to balding.
Finasteride
If you are experiencing hair loss, you may have been worried that you’re starting at going bald at 20. The good news is that you’re not alone. Up to 25% of men with genetic male pattern baldness start thinning their hair by the age of 20. Fortunately, there are many treatments available to prevent hair loss and stop it before it starts.
One of the most effective treatments for hair loss is finasteride. This drug works by altering androgen levels in the body. But the side effects of finasteride can include sexual dysfunction. To minimize side effects, consider leading a healthy lifestyle with at least seven hours of sleep every night. You should also exercise regularly, eat a heart-healthy diet, and practice stress-reduction techniques.
Finasteride is a prescription medication that is taken orally. It’s a long-term commitment, but the results can be great. The average man with male pattern baldness needs a course of six to twelve months of treatment.
Hair transplants
While hair transplants are a common procedure for people who are experiencing balding, the results can vary. The procedure can be performed in a single session or several. Depending on the area of the head being treated, the hair transplant procedure can take up to four or eight hours. Following the surgery, patients may experience some temporary numbness and crusting. However, these side effects typically fade with time.
The process of hair restoration involves collecting hair follicles from the donor area and a strip of the scalp from a healthy hair-growing area. The surgeon will then divide the follicles into units and transplant them into the recipient area. The exact process of the transplant depends on the age of the patient and the severity of their hair loss. Younger patients are a good candidate for this procedure, as they have not yet developed their hair loss pattern and can still use donor follicles to restore their hair.
Hair loss due to genetics
Hair transplant surgery takes place in the doctor’s office. The surgeon will numb the back of the head with a local anesthetic and then prepare the scalp for surgery. Afterward, the surgeon will select between two techniques for hair transplantation: follicular unit strip surgery (FUSS) and follicular unit extraction (FUE). During the FUSS procedure, the surgeon removes a six to ten-inch strip of skin from the scalp and sews it back on. The grafted hair will grow just like normal hair.
Non-surgical treatments
While genetics are the most important factor in hair loss of balding patches, there are many other factors that can accelerate the process of permanent baldness. Stress, for example, can accelerate hair loss by contributing to hair pulling, a negative coping strategy. Stress can also cause the immune system to attack hair follicles, which can lead to alopecia areata and telogen effluvium.
Surgical procedures may be necessary for those who are experiencing significant hair loss. Hair transplants, for example, involve harvesting hair follicles from other areas of the body and transplanting them into the area where you are balding. This procedure does not require hospitalization, but it is a painful procedure that may require multiple sessions. While surgical procedures can help reverse hair loss, they are often not covered by health insurance.
Conclusion
Hair loss due to genetics is a common problem, and it affects many people. Specifically, androgenic alopecia is a genetic disease, which causes hair follicles to shrink and hair growth to stop. This can happen at any age and to both men and women. Among men, the first signs of baldness can appear during their early 20s. By the time they reach their mid-fifties, they may be virtually bald. Women who experience diffuse thinning of their hair may also feel self-conscious about their appearance.
