How to stop baldness in men?

The multifactorial nature of alopecia determines the variety of different methods for solving the problem of hair loss. A treatment plan can only be prescribed after determining the cause of hair loss, so self-diagnosis and self-treatment in this case usually only lead to disappointment.

In the fight against baldness, doctors resort to various methods of influence:

• drug therapy taking into account the form and cause of the disease, tablets,
• various methods of physical influence,
• the use of specialized cosmetic products,
• vitamin therapy,
• correction of the patient's diet,
• sessions with a psychologist and psychotherapist,
• surgical treatment of alopecia or hair transplantation.

It is clear that all the above methods of solving the problem of baldness are not used simultaneously and in different combinations, taking into account the type of alopecia.

The most common type of alopecia in men is androgenic alopecia. But even the presence of a baldness gene in a man does not necessarily lead to early hair loss. Usually, the problem lies in the increased production of testosterone and the activity of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase.

Drug treatment of androgenic alopecia is aimed at suppressing the activity of male hormones, which helps stop the process of hair loss. This is possible through the use of special drugs - antiandrogens, which:

• or suppress the activity of 5-alpha-reductase (Finasteride, Dutasteride)
• or block receptors sensitive to androgens (Androcur, Flutamide),
• or stimulate the production of sex hormone-binding globulins.

Most often, drugs of the first and second groups are used, and the treatment often lasts for a long time, and sometimes drags on for almost a lifetime. The use of estrogens in the treatment of alopecia in men is inappropriate.

Along with antiandrogens, the use of hair growth stimulants is indicated. One of the most popular stimulants is the drug " Minoxidil ", which initially had completely different indications for use. Less commonly prescribed are analogues of "Minoxidil" "Aminexil", "Generolon" and a drug that affects hair growth factors, "Adenosine".

As hair growth stimulants, you can use special liquid formulations: Minomax lotion, Ducray lotion concentrate, Jason elixir, Spectral DNC-L lotion, etc.

Complex treatment with synthetic antiandrogens and hair growth stimulants is carried out for a year, after which it is recommended to switch to natural remedies that reduce the activity of androgens. Natural preparations act more gently, but they also have fewer side effects. So potent synthetic drugs that help in the treatment of mild to moderate baldness can negatively affect spermatogenesis, a man's libido, which requires parallel use of special drugs for potency. Natural androgens do not have such disadvantages.

Natural antiandrogens include:

• saw palmetto and olive extracts,
• polyunsaturated fatty acids contained in blackcurrant and jojoba oils,
• phytoestrogens (wild yam, hops, soy, flaxseed, sage, etc.), which, unlike synthetic estrogens, are not prohibited in the treatment of male alopecia,
• phytosterols (flaxseed, peanuts, corn oil, etc.),
• zinc preparations and dietary supplements containing the microelement.

Vitamins can be used as hair growth stimulants: vitamin A (retinol), vitamin B3 (nicotinic acid), vitamin B7 (biotin). It should be said that many vitamins will be useful for hair restoration and strengthening:

• Vitamin A helps against hair loss and promotes hair growth, eliminates dandruff, makes hair shiny and healthy (found in milk, cream and butter, egg yolks, liver).
• Vitamin B2 regulates scalp oiliness and eliminates hair breakage (found in milk, bread, meat, liver).
• Vitamin B3 preserves the natural color of hair, promotes vasodilation and improves blood circulation in the hair growth area, which in turn improves the supply of nutrients to the roots (we find it in fish, liver, beef, yeast, whole grains).
• Vitamin B6 improves the condition of the scalp and fights dandruff, reduces the influence of androgens (pork and chicken, yeast, bran, wheat germ, peas, hazelnuts, liver).
• Vitamin B7 helps against hair loss and improves hair growth (it is contained in yeast, molasses, bran, fish oil).
• Vitamin B8 prevents hair loss, helps maintain its structure and strengthen hair follicles and hair along its entire length (it is rich in sprouted wheat, rice bran, barley and oatmeal, oranges, grapefruits, peanuts).
• Vitamin B9 actively stimulates hair growth (found in cheese and cottage cheese, yeast, fish, vegetables).
• Vitamin B10 stimulates hair growth and prevents premature graying (it is found in nuts, rice, egg yolks, dairy products, potatoes).
• Vitamin E helps improve the condition of the scalp, normalizes the sebaceous glands, moisturizes, nourishes and strengthens hair follicles, helps restore keratin in the hair structure, has an antioxidant effect (oils, rose hips, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, peas).
• Vitamin C normalizes blood circulation in the scalp, which improves hair nutrition (apples, greens, salad peppers, pomegranate, sea buckthorn, currants, rose hips, zucchini, citrus fruits).

As we can see, almost all vitamins are important for healthy hair, so doctors recommend that patients with hair loss problems review their diet or take vitamin and vitamin-mineral complexes in parallel with the prescribed drugs for the treatment of alopecia. In pharmacies, you can also buy vitamins in ampoules or oil, which the doctor may recommend using locally, applying to clean skin in the area of hair loss and next to it.

It should be said that vitamin therapy will not be superfluous for any type of baldness, because it is not so much about treatment as about healthy care of the scalp and hair. But in addition to vitamins, hair needs microelements:

• zinc and copper – microelements that prevent early baldness and gray hair (oatmeal and buckwheat porridge, cheese, liver, legumes, walnuts, shrimp),
• iron also prevents hair loss, but additionally strengthens it, making it less brittle (liver, nuts, yolk),
• molybdenum stimulates hair growth (liver, kidneys, peas, cocoa beans),
• calcium is a building material for hairs (dairy products, especially cottage cheese, fish, eggs, nuts, greens),
• sulfur makes hair more shiny and elastic (garlic, liver, fish, beans),
• Silicon makes hairs strong and resistant to mechanical impact (whole grains, root vegetables).

Some amino acids have a positive effect on the skin and hair:

• cysteine (found in protein products) is necessary for hair restoration, promotes the synthesis of protein - keratin, which is part of hair and nails,
• arginine (nuts, seafood, pumpkin, legumes, meat) normalizes blood circulation in the scalp and hair nutrition,
• Carnitine (found in large quantities in meat) stimulates hair growth.

Minerals and amino acids can also be introduced into the body with food as part of the daily diet, but the doctor will most likely advise you to buy balanced vitamin and mineral complexes for healthy hair at the pharmacy (Revalid, Perfectil, different types of yeast). The content of various components in such preparations corresponds to the needs of the skin and hair, so they are more effective for therapeutic purposes, while changing your diet will be an excellent prevention of hair problems (and not only) in the future.

Diffuse alopecia caused by various pathological factors requires, first of all, treatment of the problem that caused the alopecia. If these are infectious diseases, then their treatment is carried out with antibiotics. Fungal infections can be treated with antifungal agents. In case of intoxication of the body, which caused alopecia in a man, detoxification therapy is carried out. Diabetes mellitus requires taking hypoglycemic agents or insulin injections.

In case of hormonal baldness, when thyroid gland malfunctions are diagnosed, it may be necessary to take hormonal drugs that normalize the level of thyroid hormones. If the cause of hair loss is severe stress, especially chronic stress, it can be dealt with by taking sedatives and psychotherapy sessions. After the patient's condition is normalized, the problem of baldness resolves itself within a few months.

Focal alopecia, if it has not acquired a total form, is considered a temporary phenomenon that resolves even in the absence of specific treatment. However, in such a case, there is a high risk of relapse of the disease, so doctors still recommend undergoing a course of treatment so that the pathology does not spread further.

To normalize the functioning of the immune system, the incorrect functioning of which caused hair rejection, the following is recommended:

• taking sedatives that regulate the central nervous system (stress provokes relapses of the disease),
• local application of hormonal ointments that slow down the activity of immune cells,
• injection of corticosteroids into areas of hair loss (they only provide a temporary effect and are not suitable for large areas),
• taking hormones in pill form (a dubious method with a lot of side effects),
• taking immunosuppressants that reduce the activity of immune system cells (indicated only in extreme cases, since these drugs reduce the body's protective functions and can cause the development of many other diseases, in particular infectious ones),
• taking antihistamines (as part of complex treatment),
• local application of hair growth stimulants,
• a course of combined treatment with a solution of diphenylcyclopropenone and dibutyl ester of squaric acid (possible for mild focal alopecia, helps in half of the cases and can be used repeatedly),
• use of a psoriasis treatment called "Ditranol" and zinc preparations (there is no precise information about the effectiveness of such treatment).

Today, medicine does not have an effective treatment regimen for focal alopecia, because it is difficult to predict the immune system's response to a particular treatment. Treatment can help during periods of exacerbation, and after it, hair seems to grow back, but none of the methods can completely prevent relapses of the disease. Although this is not a reason to sit back and wait for the immune system to come to its senses and begin to respond to its hair adequately. With this approach, you can walk around for years with unusual marks on your scalp and body, masking them with a short haircut, refusing to grow hair on your face (and sometimes on your body, which looks a little strange).

Physiotherapy treatment

It cannot be said that drug treatment does not bring good results in male pattern baldness. In most cases, there is an effect, however, the intensity of hair restoration varies from person to person, and patients do not always achieve lasting results. For example, treatment with Menoxidil gives good results in many patients with androgenic, symptomatic and focal alopecia, but as soon as a person stops using the product, the hair loss process can resume in the near future (and sometimes almost immediately).

The use of hair growth stimulants and vitamin-mineral complexes gives a good lasting effect in deficiency conditions, but in androgenic alopecia this is not enough. And even taking antiandrogens does not always contribute to obtaining a lasting result, especially if the effect of such therapy is not observed for six months or more, which may indicate the death of hair follicles.

In order to somehow slow down the process of baldness in men and achieve a more or less lasting effect for several years, drug therapy should be supported by physiotherapy, and the choice of physiotherapy methods in this case is quite large:

• Iontophoresis. The effect of constant galvanic current on the affected area accelerates blood circulation in the skin, stimulates cell division. Improves metabolic processes in them. As a result, hair follicles begin to receive more nutrients, which means they can produce strong, healthy hair. The technique allows you to strengthen the hair roots and stimulates their growth.
• Impact of pulsed currents (electrical stimulation). Promotes increased blood flow through capillaries, improves metabolism and sebaceous glands, corrects hormonal levels.
• Impact of pulsed small currents (microcurrent therapy). Improves metabolism in the scalp, promotes the removal of waste components from the body, stimulates tissue regeneration and damaged hair follicles.
• Darsonval. The affected area is treated with low-power but high-voltage currents, which stimulates lymph flow and increases blood circulation in the vessels of the scalp, improves metabolism in cells, reduces scalp oiliness, and saturates tissues with oxygen.
• Liquid nitrogen treatment. The procedure is a kind of massage that activates the work of scalp cells and hair follicles.
• Vacuum massage. A procedure that helps restore normal lymph flow, remove toxins and harmful substances from the body, prevent congestion, improve blood supply and respiration of head tissues.
• UV therapy. Exposure of the skin to dosed ultraviolet rays in combination with the intake of photosensitizing drugs is used for alopecia areata.
• Laser treatment. The method improves blood circulation and metabolism. The result of laser therapy is thickening of hairs and an increase in their number.

Physiotherapeutic methods help to activate the body's internal forces and improve the functioning of hair follicles, but they are effective if baldness has not yet acquired total forms. No physical impact or drug simulation can revive dead bulbs. If the above-described methods of treating baldness in men are ineffective, the only way out for patients who do not want to put up with sparse hair on their heads or shave their heads is hair transplantation.

Surgical treatment of alopecia

The surgical method of combating baldness should be treated as a last resort when other treatment methods are ineffective. And not because this method is more traumatic than others. It simply does not solve the main problem of baldness - the reason why hair loss has increased, but only masks the bald spot, although it has quite good lasting results.

Surgical treatment of baldness in men involves transplanting one's own or donor hair. It is performed both in cases of complete hair loss and in cases of significant reduction in hair density. Most often, this procedure is used for androgenic alopecia, which, for obvious reasons, is difficult to correct with medications. Long-term use of synthetic anti-antrogens can negatively affect men's health, and herbal preparations are not always effective enough, especially when it comes to advanced stages of the pathology. The use of conventional growth stimulants for hormonal causes will give a weak and short-term effect.

With diffuse alopecia, there is usually no need for a hair transplant, because drug treatment and work with a psychologist usually help reduce the severity of the unpleasant consequences of stress and health problems, so there is no need for surgical treatment. However, there are always exceptions. If a man is not satisfied with the thickness of his hair, then after therapeutic measures, he may well resort to transplanting individual grafts, making the hair more voluminous.

In case of cicatricial alopecia, surgical treatment may be prescribed initially if there is no possibility of restoring the hair follicles damaged during injuries, burns and operations. Doctors remove the scar tissue, after which hair transplantation becomes possible.

There is another unusual type of baldness – traumatic alopecia, associated with mental disorders, as a result of which the patient pulls out his own hair. Surgical treatment in this case is possible only after drug therapy with sedatives and tranquilizers and psychotherapy sessions, which allow the person to restore his normal condition and stop the pathological passion for pulling out his own hair.

The most difficult case is focal alopecia, when the body tries to fight its own hair. Previously, surgical treatment in this case was considered not only pointless, but also dangerous due to the risk of provoking the activation of the immune system and worsening an already unenviable situation. Today, there is a proven hair transplant technique that can be used even in cases of alopecia areata.

During transplantation, hair from one "densely populated" part of the body or head is transferred to another, where it is needed. Most often, hair is taken from the back and sides of the head, because they are considered more resistant to dihydrotestosterone; less often, transplantation is done using hair taken from the beard or areas of the body with dense vegetation.

Hair transplantation can be performed in various ways:

• The FUT method involves removing a flap of skin under anesthesia, which is then divided into small grafts containing no more than 4 hair follicles and implanted into the scalp at the site of the bald spot. A variation of this method is the strip method, according to which a thin but fairly long strip of skin with hair is taken for division into grafts.
• The FUE method, considered less traumatic, because it does not require skin incisions and a long rehabilitation period, does not leave noticeable scars, and is also less time-consuming. Its essence lies in the transplantation of follicular units (a bunch of hairs growing from one follicle) extracted using special equipment, which are then placed in micro-incisions on the balding area.
• The HFE method, which does not require any incisions at all, because follicular units are extracted from one area and transplanted to another using a thin implanter needle, leaving only small punctures in the skin. This method is convenient for hair transplantation not only on the head, but also on other areas of the body. In addition, it is not contraindicated in focal alopecia and gives people with autoimmune pathologies a chance to have a decent hairstyle.

It should be said that even the most modern technique does not always give the desired results and is also quite expensive. If we are talking about thinning hair on the temples and the back of the head, the results can be quite decent, but patients with pronounced bald spots will have to undergo more than one operation to get more or less thick hair, because the number of skin grafts or follicular units transplanted in one procedure is limited.

But again, everything can be complicated by the fact that at some point doctors will face a shortage of donor hair to achieve the necessary density of hair. This happens if the bald spot is large or if there is no fight against the cause of baldness. If the activity of hormones in androgenic alopecia is not corrected, the area of hair loss will constantly expand. That is, over time, an Iroquois of transplanted hair will flaunt on the top of the head, and behind it a semicircle of further loss of non-transplanted hairs will form.

But the occipital area is not unlimited, and by scattering hair from it all over the head, it is unlikely that you will achieve normal hair density, even if the hair density on it approaches 350-400 follicles per square centimeter.

It turns out that hair transplantation for male pattern baldness should be considered not as a treatment method, but as a cosmetic procedure that masks an internal problem. If this problem is not solved, after a while such a masking will become simply ridiculous.

Other ways to solve the problem

It must be said that masking the problem of hair loss by means of transplantation is quite an expensive pleasure, some of which not everyone will decide to do, especially since there are many other options to make the lack of hair on the head less noticeable. We are talking about choosing a hairstyle for baldness in men.

At first glance, it may seem that a young man with active premature hair loss can hide the problem only with a short haircut (ideally a buzz cut). In fact, everything is not so sad. Even in such a situation, a man can look fashionable and stylish, you just need to turn to a professional stylist for help.

Yes, it is better to forget about long hair and sleek medium-length hairstyles now, because they only enhance the contrast between the areas of thick and thinning hair. The only way to reliably cover the bald spot that has formed on the crown is to gather your hair into a bun. Combing your hair forward, thus hiding the bald spots on your forehead, is also not the best option.

It must be said that even completely shaved hair on the head gives many men a certain charm and brutality, which they could not achieve with the help of various hairstyles for medium and long hair. But due to the individuality of our face, such a hairstyle will not suit everyone and here you will have to fantasize.

The best option for balding men is the "semi-box" haircut, in which the length of the hair on the temples and the lower part of the head is a few centimeters shorter than on top. In this case, the upper hair can be combed in different ways, masking the lack of hair on the frontal-parietal part of the head. You can modernize the hairstyle, making it more youthful, with the help of a mohawk, i.e. combing the upper hair up and slightly back, making a kind of crest.

The appearance of bald spots on the temples and light gray hair is also not a problem. An experienced stylist can offer a man to compensate for the lack of hair on the upper part of the face with sideburns, a goatee and a moustache, which in principle have never gone out of fashion, and are now even considered symbolic due to the growing interest in our history. In this case, the temples are again cut as short as possible, the hair on the top of the head is usually raised, and the shape of the sideburns, moustache and goatee is selected individually. Such a hairstyle will not make a young man look older, but will give his image a certain zest.

Bald spots on the crown can be combated by changing the angle of the hair. The sides of the head should be cut short and styled naturally, while the top hair, which is slightly longer, can be combed slightly to the side or forward, without pressing it to the head (smooth styling will only increase the contrast). If the hair on the top of the head is longer than 3-4 cm, the problem will be more difficult to mask.

For older people, a styling option is suitable, in which the temples are cut short, and the length of the hair on the crown is slightly longer, while they are combed into a neat hedgehog. A conical haircut will also be relevant, in which the density of the hair in the side and occipital parts is gradually reduced, without touching the hair in the frontal and parietal areas of the head. They can be combed back or to the side.

The passion for Ukrainian style in hairstyles will benefit men with receding hairlines, for whom a high forehead line only makes them look better. They do not need to disguise the receding hairlines at the temples, but rather emphasize them. In this case, the hair on the side surfaces of the head is cut almost completely, and on the frontal-parietal part, the hairstyle can remain quite lush, combed back. Additional elements will give such a hairstyle a special charm - a fairly lush beard and mustache.

You can modernize this hairstyle a little and make it a trend of the season. To do this, reduce the splendor of the beard and moustache, leave a fairly wide strip connecting the beard and temples, and make the hair on the temples about 1-2 cm long. On the top of the head, you can leave the hair of medium length and casually comb it back and to the side, leaving a small parting on the side.

For lovers of the hippie style and fans of thick beards and moustaches, we can advise slightly modifying the above-described options, removing the strip connecting the temples and beard, but leaving long hair (about 20 cm or more) on the top of the head from the forehead to the crown, which will serve as bangs and should be combed to the side.

Young people whose work does not require strict elements in their hair can be advised to try a textured haircut, which should be done by a professional. Hair of different lengths, combed in a casual way will not look sloppy if a professional does it. On the contrary, such a hairstyle will add some brutality to a man's face.

As an option, during the treatment of alopecia (and the process of hair restoration is quite long), you can resort to other masking options:

• If your hair is thinning, you can use a special masking powder, which visually makes your hair look thicker.
• With your doctor's permission, you can try dyeing your hair a lighter shade, since bald spots are less noticeable on light hair.
• Properly selected headwear (caps, hats, baseball caps, and currently fashionable national attributes) that match a man’s image will help to disguise bald spots on the head.

Baldness in men is a situation that can be treated in different ways. And it is not at all necessary to make a problem out of androgenic alopecia. Thinking creatively, you can consider alopecia as a reason to work on your image, starting with your hairstyle. Sometimes such experiments not only please, but also give a man confidence, so that baldness becomes a new, more productive stage in his life. And then the man himself decides whether to stop the process of hair loss or leave everything as is, if a short haircut makes him more attractive.