***Male Hair Loss: Address it Early for Best Prevention

There is a tendency to see the onset of hair loss in men as a lifetime sentence in a prison of baldness. But this kind of thinking is not a reflection of reality. The belief that hair loss is a permanent condition is only true as a self-fulfilling prophecy, and no one has to live in this prison of baldness for the rest of their lives if they choose not to.

At the Onset

Hair loss in men is brought on by the body’s production of a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This hormone does perform critical tasks in the body. However, in men with male pattern baldness, also known as androgenetic alopecia, for some reaso
DHT is overproduced and begins to collect in the hair follicles of the scalp. The result of this process is a gradual decline in the quality of the hair produced – at least at first. If the body's overproduction of DHT is not addressed, eventually hair follicles clogged with this hormone will stop growing hair at all.

Androgenetic alopecia in men is detectable early because of the distinctive pattern of hair loss it causes. Men with this condition experience a noticeable thinning of the hair on the crown and the vertex of the scalp, and they will also see their hairline begin to recede. The important thing to note here is that in the early stages of male pattern baldness, hair is not actually being lost. It is still growing in the same quantity, but the effects of DHT cause it to come in shorter and thinner, making it appear as if there is less hair growing than before.

Why Treatment Must Begin Early

The point just referenced is critically important because the key to stopping and reversing hair loss is to begin treatment while the hair is still actually alive and growing, albeit poorly. There are products available that can halt the progress of male pattern baldness and even reverse its effects and repair the damage that has been done. But these products will only assist future health hair growth in hair follicles that are still active. Once hair follicles have been so badly compromised by DHT that they can no longer produce any hair, those follicles cannot be regenerated ever again. This is the reason why treatment for male hair loss must begin as early as possible, when the symptoms of androgenetic alopecia first start to manifest.

What Can Be Done

Minoxidil (Rogaine), a topical solution sold over the counter, helps to unclog hair follicles plugged by DHT. Finasteride (Propecia) is a prescription medication that blocks the effects of the enzyme that synthesizes DHT in the body, thereby cutting off male pattern baldness at its roots. Natural supplements such as Procerin also work to block this process, but without the harmful side effects of prescription drugs.

For any of these treatment modalities to be effective, however, there has to be something there for them to work with. Malfunctioning hair follicles can be nursed back to good health if their illness and dysfunction is caught early. Therefore, the best way to prevent continuing male hair loss is to begin treatment as early as possible.