And will it ever grow back?
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The prospect of going bald can be a nightmare, and so can figuring out what to do about it. How do you know what treatment is right for you—or what’s going to work? If you've ever worried about side effects, or wondered if there's a natural solution before you jump to medication, read this. We sat down with a doctor to get the truth about what stops balding, and if you can ever get back the hair you've already lost.
1/5Hairmax
Low-Level Treatment: Combs
The lowest-level treatment is light. If you've done any research on balding, you've probably been targeted by ads for laser combs like this one. They emit a low-intensity beam meant to stimulate follicles and get them cranking out hair the way they're meant to.
Do they work? In a way. Red light has been shown to be anti-inflammatory, which takes care of one of the scalp problems that can contribute to hair loss. Also, it promotes healthy hair growth. But as far as turning around balding in a noticeable way, the results can be limited.
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Natural Treatment: Supplements
Before you jump from combs to medication, there are supplements that can help maintain healthy hair.
"There are two brands that have emerged as leaders in terms of nutraceuticals," says Joshua Zeichner, Director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research in Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC. "Number one is Nutrafol—it helps provide the building blocks necessary for healthy hair growth—and the second is Viviscal."
These supplements blend drug-free ingredients to battle hair loss causes such as inflammation, and strengthen hair with vitamins. Nutrafol claims to block dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the testosterone byproduct thought to be linked to male pattern baldness. Viviscal encourages users to both take supplements and use its cosmetic products for the hair and scalp. Finding out if either works for you can take time, and neither has been FDA approved to treat hair loss.
3/5Rogaine
Topical Treatment: Rogaine
The best-known, FDA-approved way to fight hair loss is Rogaine.
"Rogaine is the gold standard in terms of topical treatments," says Zeichner. "It's FDA-approved to treat thinning at the vertex, or top of the head, but I recommend my patients use it on the frontal hair line, too, where hair is receding."
Rogaine's active ingredient, minoxidil, has been clinically proven to slow hair loss and regrow some hair, though the American Hair Loss Association cautions the long-term results can be disappointing.
One reason? To achieve perfect treatment, Rogaine should be applied twice daily. No matter how afraid of hair loss you are, that can be a tall order.
"In the real world, it's very difficult to get anybody to apply anything twice a day," says Zeichner. "Do the best that you can."
4/5Propecia
Pills: Propecia
There's one other FDA-approved treatment: finasteride, which is sold under the brand name Propecia.
This prescription medication stops the body from converting testosterone into DHT. While exact causes of male pattern baldness are still being studied, lowering DHT levels has been proven to help.
"A third of patients maintain the hair that they have," says Zeichner, "a third grow hair back, and a third still continue to see hair thinning—though often the rate of loss is less than they saw before. So, if you look at that, at least two thirds of patients see improvement."
Unfortunately, if you've heard about Propecia, you've probably heard about side effects. And the ones people talk about are sexual.
"The number one risk is erectile dysfunction," says Zeichner. "For most patients, if this even occurs, it's temporary. Although there have been a handful of reports of guys who have it after discontinuing the drug."
Nonetheless, Propecia is recommended as the first line of attack by the American Hair Loss Association, which points out it is the first drug in history to effectively treat baldness in the majority of men who take it.
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Surgery: Hair Transplantation
Finally, there's surgery. What we used to call "hair plugs" are now described as "hair transplantation." Gone are the days when the surgery resulted in clumps of what looked like doll hair sticking out of the front of your head. Now hairs are moved individually from the back of your head to the areas that need them.
"We don't understand why, but men do not lose hair in the back of the head," says Zeichner. "In a transplant, those hairs are moved individually or in small groups to other areas of the scalp to recreate a natural-appearing hair line."
The newest techniques can blend the hair grafts seamlessly into your natural hair. And, yes, they will grow once they get established.
The bad news: surgery is painful and costly—think $10,000 and up. Plus, it takes time for the transplanted follicles to become active.
So while there’s no perfect option, there are proven ways to slow your hair loss, and for many men, you can get hair back. Talk to your doctor about your concerns. Or, if reaching for medicine isn’t your style, there’s always time to talk to your barber.
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